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Dennis Allen talks line of scrimmage battle, Spencer Rattler, Chargers game

Recapping the top five takeaways from the Saints Coaches Show on WWL 

New Orleans Saints Coach Dennis Allen joined Voice of the Saints Mike Hoss and Saints legend Bobby Hebert on the Saints Coaches Show on WWL on Monday, Oct. 21 to talk about the loss against the Denver Broncos, the upcoming game against the Los Angeles Chargers and more.

Here's the top five takeaway's from Allen's appearance:

1. Getting back to winning the line of scrimmage

The Saints have not been getting the push they want up front in the last three weeks on either side of the ball.

"I definitely think that our ability to control the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball right now is not where it needs to be," Allen said. "I think that was a strength of ours earlier in the season. It's not a strength of ours right now. So, I think we've got to get back to a lot of the fundamentals and technique, of playing the D-line position, playing the offensive line position. I think we've got to get back to where we can win the line of scrimmage. And therefore when you're able to do that, you're able to run the ball more effectively, and you're able to stop the run better."

The Saints have only generated 102 rushing yards before contact in the last three weeks as opposed to the 393 they were able to generate in the first four weeks. Their opponents in the last three weeks have been able to create rushing lanes tallying 362 yards before contact as opposed to the 246 rushing yards before contact the Saints allowed through the first four weeks of the season.

Allen said that the individual periods of practice are going to be particularly important for correcting the issue.

"We've got 25 minutes dedicated basically to individuals for the offensive and defensive lines. And I think that needs to get to really working on pad level, strike, shed, the core principles of playing defense. And offensively, it's about footwork and pad level, and again, the same thing in terms of the strike ability up front. I mean those are things that you can't take for granted in our game. This is not this is not a scheme-oriented deal in our league all the time. It's got to come from fundamentals, details and I think those are areas that we have to improve on."

2. Stopping the run and tackling

The Saints will have to clean up their run-defense woes as their next opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, is a team eager to put the ball on the ground as they have the 10th most rushing attempts per game in the NFL, with 29.2 attempts per game. Meanwhile the Saints have been reeling stopping the rush as they have allowed 641 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry in the last three weeks.

"I think that's the type of game that they want to play so we're going to see it and we're going to see it until we stop it," Allen said. "And so that's what we're going to have to do in this game coming up. We're going to have to do a better job of striking blocks, we're going to have to do a better job of getting off the blocks, and we're going to have to do a better job of tackling when we when we get in those positions. And that's fundamental football and so we've identified areas that we have to improve in and now we got to go out and do it."

With Allen identifying missed tackles as a problem point, the team will look to correct the issue that has resulted in 24 missed tackles in the last three weeks.

"I think No. 1 is the technique of tackling in terms of closing the space, in terms of understanding the angles, in terms of taking away the cutback and then there's the second element of how do we create more population to the ball, because missed tackles do happen in our league, but when you create more and more population to the ball, they don't become as costly, because you have somebody else that's backing you up and so I think those are a couple areas that we can improve on."

3. Evaluating Spencer Rattler after two starts

With it still being uncertain whether quarterback Derek Carr will be ready to go for Week 8, Allen discussed what he has seen from quarterback Spencer Rattler who Allen said in his Monday press conference will get the start again in Week 8 should Carr be unable to play.

"I've seen a lot of really good things that Spencer's done. I think we got to do some better things around him," Allen said. "I think his supporting cast needs to help him out a little bit and I think he needs to continue to improve. There were some things like just understanding when you're going to be hot and then don't take a bad play and make a bad play worse. So, those are some of the things that you deal with, with a young quarterback. But then I see him create things with his feet. I see the very first play of the game. We get a boot out to the left-hand side and we get the edge cut and he presses the edge and makes a great pass down the field and we create an explosive play. And so, we got to be able to be more consistent in being able to do those things. And look, the quarterback needs to play better, but I think the players around him need to help him too."

Rattler has completed 47 of 75 attempts for 415 yards and a touchdown during his two starts in Carr's absence as well as adding 61 yards on the ground.

4. Replacing Paulson Adebo

Cornerback Paulson Adebo will be out for the season after undergoing surgery for the broken femur he suffered in Week 7. Adebo led the Saints in tackling and interceptions with 52 tackles and three interceptions Allen named cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry as people who will have an increased role in Adebo's absence.

"It's a tough loss because I think Adebo did some good things for us," Allen said. "He was leading our team in interceptions, made a lot of big plays for us. So, it'll be a tough loss. But I think we got some guys that can step up in that in that role. Alontae Taylor will play a little bit more on the outside, along with Kool-Aid (McKinstry). Both those guys will have to play some snaps outside. And look, I think it'll be good in the development of Kool-Aid. ... He played really well when he had to play earlier in the year against Dallas when Lattimore was out. So, I think we have some capable guys to step in in that role."

5. Adding Kendre Miller to the mix

Running back Kendre Miller saw his first game action of the season in the game against the Denver Broncos. Miller had six carries for 36 yards and Allen said they will look to get him more involved.

"He's got an explosive element to his game, in particular, when you put the ball in his hands and so that was good to see," he said. "I think we all kind of knew that was a quality that he had. That was one of the things that we saw when we drafted him. And so, I think for him, it's some of the other things in terms of the protection, in terms of the route definition, those types of things are things where he really has to work to improve. But certainly, I think putting the ball in his hands in terms of the run game, he's got some make-you-miss ability, got the ability to run through some tackles. So, I'm excited about what I think he can bring, in that element."

Check out the game action shots from the New Orleans Saints Thursday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL Season on Oct. 17, 2024 in the Caesars Superdome.

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