New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen says he’s not concerned about the possibility of being fired after a 33-10 defeat to the Denver Broncos on Thursday marked his fifth straight loss, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Allen also said he doesn’t agree with former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman’s opinion that the Saints were playing like they wanted to get their coach fired, per Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune.
The coach added that he didn’t believe there was any quit in his team.
“I think our guys are fighting, and yet the results aren’t showing,” Allen told reporters.
The Saints have been hit with a rash of injuries since opening the season 2-0. Quarterback Derek Carr has been sidelined with an oblique injury, while wide receiver Chris Olave missed Thursday’s game with a concussion. Olave’s position mate, Rashid Shaheed, also underwent season-ending meniscus surgery Thursday.
The injuries only continued to pile up in Thursday’s game, with cornerbacks Paulson Adebo suffering a broken femur and Marcus Lattimore exiting with a hamstring ailment. Quarterback Spencer Rattler was also removed late with a hip pointer. Allen refused to use the team’s health as a scapegoat for its slide.
“I think guys are trying, I think guys are working,” Allen remarked. “We’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now. That’s not an excuse. I don’t want anybody to misconstrue that as an excuse, but it is an issue for us. And I think all of us are trying to fight through that.”
The 2-5 Saints pick their season back up in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers.