Reboot Just Starting

By Jim Gazzolo

The time has come to blow it up in New Orleans.

The Saints are done.

Owner Gayle Benson began the process Monday when she fired head coach Dennis Allen. Let’s be clear on that, “she” fired her coach. 

Benson did not have long-time general manager Mickey Loomis do the dirty work, she did it herself. Benson pulled the trigger after going straight to the players to ask their thoughts and she listened. 

"This decision is something that I felt we needed to make at this time. I wish nothing but the best in the future for Dennis and his family. He will always be considered in the highest regard by me and everyone within our organization.” – Gayle Benson

It was the right move. 

In fact, it was a mercy killing. Allen had been on the hot seat despite a fast start by his football team that surprised just about everybody around.

The Saints were the talk of football when they won their first two games by wide margins, including stomping the famed and overrated Dallas Cowboys. Yet those games proved to be a mirage. 

Since they left Dallas in Week 2 the Saints haven’t won a game. Their seven-straight defeats have left them in the running for the No. 1 draft pick and miles away from contending for a playoff spot.

The end of this season came when the Saints dropped a 23-22 decision last week to the hapless Carolina Panthers. That is the same Carolina team that the Saints beat 41-10 in the season opener.

It was perfect evidence as to what has taken place over the last few months with the New Orleans franchise.

In two months, the Saints went from the talk of the NFL to its punch line. 

After years of struggling and being stuck in salary cap prison, this was a likely outcome. At some point, the Saints were going to hit rock bottom.

Last Sunday they went crashing into it.

Now is the time for the Saints and their fans to understand there is only one way out and that is blowing the entire thing up.

Loomis will likely have to be replaced in making the decisions on players and the direction of the franchise. He has had his run, but change is necessary for the Saints to rebound and rebuild. 

Darren Rizzi was named the interim head coach and on Tuesday the Saints traded defensive back Marshon Lattimore to Washington for future draft picks. That, along with the firing shows maybe the Saints are ready to blow it up. 

Meanwhile, Loomis spent the post-Allen firing blaming injuries and making excuses for the troubles of the Saints. While no question that injuries have played a huge part in the problems, but that only points the finger at Loomis’ roster depth itself.

And while he never said he was against the firing of Allen; he didn’t seem to endorse it either. 

That makes you wonder if maybe it’s not time for him to be the next to go in New Orleans. That would seem to make some sense.

What Saints fans have to realize is this will not be fixed overnight or in one offseason. This rebuild will take time. The fun run is over.

Now comes the cleanup.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese athletics. He is the host of Poke Nation on CBS-Lake Charles