New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen has been quick to dismiss allegations from the Philadelphia Eagles that his team participated in dirty play during their recent encounter. The Saints endured a narrow 15-12 defeat to the Eagles on Sunday, a game fraught with injuries and heated incidents.
The spotlight centered on Saints defenders Payton Turner and Khristian Boyd, who delivered a hit that dislodged the helmet of Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith. The collision resulted in Smith entering concussion protocol and not returning to the game. This incident ignited accusations from the Eagles, with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson branding the hit as “the dirtiest shit I ever saw in football, bro.”
Several Eagles players shared Gardner-Johnson’s sentiment, voicing their frustration over what they perceived as overly aggressive play. However, Dennis Allen staunchly defended his squad, emphasizing their commitment to hard but fair play. “I'd say our guys play extremely hard and we're going to compete until the down is over. I don't think we play dirty. I don't think we ever have played dirty. It's not the way we coach it, not the way we teach it, but we do play hard,” Allen asserted.
The physicality didn’t stop with Turner and Boyd. Saints right tackle Trevor Penning was penalized for unnecessary roughness after executing an excessive block that sent Eagles safety Darius Slay careening into the sideline benches. Addressing the penalty, Allen noted, “We can't have that. You've got to have some awareness of where you're at on the field. That could've been a really costly penalty. I love the aggressiveness, but at the same time, we can't hurt the team.”
Despite the contentious atmosphere of the game, Allen remained resolute in his defense of the team's ethos. “Look, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, nobody's trying to hurt anybody and unfortunately that's part of the business that we're in. No, we don't play dirty. We don't coach dirty, but we do play hard and we do play physical,” he reiterated.
The Saints’ physical play has become a focal point as they currently stand at 2-1 for the season. Gardner-Johnson, evidently still raw from the encounter, dismissed the Saints' impressive start by calling them "Pretenders.” His terse critique underscores the tension between the two teams following their fierce clash.
As the season progresses, the Saints will need to balance their aggressive style with adherence to the rules to avoid penalties that could jeopardize their standing. For now, the debate about their playing style remains heated, with opinions divided between those who see them as a hard-nosed unit and others who view them as stepping over the line of fair play.