Postgame quotes from Saints Coach Dennis Allen, players

Allen: 'I was proud of the way our guys competed'

Oct 16, 2022 at 05:26 PM

New Orleans Saints Coach Dennis Allen:

"I thought our guys fought their tails off, we just didn't make enough plays there at the end to win it. I was proud of the way our guys competed, but yet disappointed that we did not make those plays at the end of the game that give us the opportunity to win the game. So, short turnaround, Thursday night game so we got a lot of stuff to work on in a short period of time."

On the final offensive play:

"Well it looked like there was a lot of contact and they weren't really playing the ball so those are my thoughts."

On injuries and if it is affecting team chemistry:

"No. Look, I thought we had the right gameplan and I thought for the most part, the better part of the game, we executed that gameplan. I thought the game came down to the redzone. We had some opportunities to get off the field in the red zone, we did not do that. And we didn't score enough touchdowns in the redzone and there lies the difference in the game. I think the final stats we were 1-of-5, and they were 3-of-3. So, of all the things that go on in the game, it came down to that one statistical category."

On the mind-set of the conservative approach to the second to last offensive drive:

"Well, I didn't see exactly what the final stats were, but we ran for a lot of yards, so that effective, so, look we're trying to get the first down, we got into a third and manageable situation and we didn't convert. And that's really what you are trying to do. You're trying to get yourself worst case scenario in a third and manageable, we did that and didn't convert."

On if tackling was an issue overall:

"Yes, I did. We did not tackle well. The biggest thing was that we had opportunities to win in the red zone and we didn't. You know, when we get them (Cincinnati) third and, I think it was third and eight or nine on the nine, you know, I'm expecting to win that down. And we didn't do that. To me that is the biggest difference in the game."

On the final Cincinnati were in zone or man on Cincinnati's final touchdown:

"We were in man defense. Look, they (Cincinnati) got a kicker (in the event they tried to kick a field goal) who can kick it a long way and so we got to execute the punt better in that situation. We gave them the ball in good field position. You're not going to be able to sit back and be ultra conservative in that situation. We missed a tackle, and a good player took it all the way. I thought up until that moment we had actually done a solid job on (Ja'Marr) Chase you know. Half of his receiving yards came on that one play."

On if Jameis Winston's healthy and his status for next week:

"He's not 100 percent healthy. We have a Thursday night game. Let's get into study on that, see where he is at, and then we will go from there."

On if the team misses Marshon Lattimore:

"Well, look, I thought the guys who went in there and played, I thought they competed. Did we miss (Marshon) Lattiomore, yes. When you lose a player of his caliber against a really explosive offense that throws the ball a lot, yes you miss him. You definitely miss him."

On how he would assess the defensive line pressure on Joe Burrow:

"I thought we did not finish on him. We had a couple of opportunities to finish on him and we didn't. One scramble for a touchdown, I feel like we had a lot of bodies in that area, and we couldn't get him on the ground. And then we had another pressure late in the game that came free that could've been a sack. You have to give him (Burrow) credit. He does an unbelievable job in the pocket of somehow avoiding the rush and getting out of there and he made a couple big plays doing that."

On message to the team after giving up the lead in the loss:

"Just go back to work. Go back to work. That's all you can do. And that's what we are going to do. We are going to go back to work, put a good plan together got Arizona and go out and compete our ass off and play good."

Cornerback Paulson Adebo

On the game-winning touchdown:

"I was just guarding my man. I turned around and he was running with the ball."

On what can get corrected on the short week:

"I think there is a lot to get corrected. We just need to go back and look at the film. I'll look and see what I can do better personally. We'll look collectively as a team what we can do better. The good news is that it is a short week and we get to go back out there on Thursday and get another go at it."

On if they missed Marshon Lattimore today:

"Any time you have an All-Pro corner that is not playing, you'd love to have him. At the same time, we have guys that can step in and step up. I feel like we have a lot of depth in our secondary."

On if it is good or bad having a short week:

"It is what it is. We look forward to the opportunity."

Photos: Game Action | Saints vs Bengals Week 6 2022

New Orleans Saints players in action during their 2022 Week 6 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

New Orleans Saints

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New Orleans Saints linebackers Kaden Elliss and Demario Davis in action during their 2022 Week 6 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.