While Gardner-Johnson has been known to keep his mouth shut, the fourth-year pro might really be on to something. In 2021, New Orleans ranked in the top five in several defensive categories, including points allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per game, opposing passer rating and red zone defense. This season, the Saints not only have enough top players to compete at a championship level, but their creative schemes should allow the talent to overwhelm opponents.
This week, I spoke with a couple of former Saints defensive backs, Malcolm Jenkins and Jairus Byrd, and they couldn’t stop singing the praises of Dennis Allen as a defensive player. All praised the new head coach’s intelligence, communication skills and creativity, while pointing to his leadership ability as a major factor in the defense’s success.
Jenkins, in particular, praised Allen’s preparation and his process for getting the defense ready to play. The former safety, who recently retired after 13 NFL seasons, talked about Allen’s ability to adapt and adapt to his personnel while attacking the opponent’s biggest weakness. With a playbook that includes countless blitzes and coverage packages, opposing quarterbacks and punters can’t get a clear read on what the Saints will do each week.
To use a multi-faceted approach, Allen needs to have enough Swiss Army knives at his disposal to maximize the unit’s versatility. From a defensive backfield that houses a number of cornerback safety hybrids (PJ Williams, Alontae Taylor, Mathieu and Gardner-Johnson) to a linebacking duo that offers rushing potential and blitzing ability (Davis and Werner) to a front with running backs who own passes. the ability to attack from a vertical or three-point stance (Jordan and Davenport), the Saints’ personnel allows Allen to turn the wheel when it comes to increasing pressures and blitzes from any angle.
With a collection of players who possess the smarts and versatility to bring their Xs and Os to life, Allen’s Saints have a chance to make Gardner-Johnson sound like a late-season prophet .