Saints Coach Responds To Conspiracy That His Players Want Him 'Fired'

The New Orleans Saints started the regular season 2-0 by outscoring their opponents 91-29. The Saints have lost their last three games by double digits, including a 33-10 blowout to the Denver Broncos at home on Thursday night.

Injuries haven't helped the Saints' cause in recent weeks. New Orleans was without starting quarterback Derek Carr for the second straight game due to an oblique injury. Several other players on the injury report missed Thursday night's game, the team's third contest in 10 days.

The Saints were trailing the Broncos 16-3 after two quarters. During the Amazon Prime halftime show, former NFL cornerback and broadcast analyst Richard Sherman suggested the Saints players could be playing lackadaisically to get head coach Dennis Allen fired.

“I’m telling you, Tony, I’m confused, I’m vexed, I’m perplexed, I don’t get it," Sherman said. "They don't want to tackle. They don't want to make plays. These are good players...I don’t understand this. It seems like they want to get their coach fired--that’s the effort they’re playing with.”

Following the game, Allen was told by beat reporters in the press pool about Sherman's remarks at halftime on the Saints' effort in the last six quarters of football. (The Saints were outscored 27-0 in the second half of their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.)

Allen said he disagreed with Sherman's analysis and had confidence that the team was playing with full effort, per a video posted on X by Matthew Paras with The Times-Picayune.

A reporter asked Allen if he was "concerned" that his defense might be playing with poor effort in order to get him fired. The third-year head coach shook his head and said, "No."

The Saints fell to 2-5 after the loss to the Broncos on Thursday night. Their next game will be against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 27.

Allen has an 18-23 record in his third year with the Saints. He has a 26-51 overall record as a head coach in the NFL.

Related: Spencer Rattler Gives 4-Word Reaction to Dennis Allen's Strange Decision