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Sean Payton, Rob Ryan shifting blame for Saints defensive woes

By John Hendrix

Oct 5, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan talk on the sidelines during their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 5, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan talk on the sidelines during their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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If you ever thought to yourself that the New Orleans Saints had clear dysfunction between head coach Sean Payton and ex-defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, then you were right.

The two have come into the spotlight late this week, especially after Rob Ryan’s interview was featured on MMQB by Jenny Vrentas on Thursday. Ryan claimed that he wasn’t able to run his scheme.

"We all knew what the situation was. I wasn’t fired [the year before] for one reason, because I think it would have probably looked bad for Sean [Payton], losing another coordinator. So they made an easy move. That doesn’t make Dennis Allen a bad person. Dennis Allen was coming in there to coach secondary, and the secondary was atrocious. But it’s all on me. That’s OK. The only thing I regret is two years ago, when this [scheme change] was going to happen, I should have gone into Sean and talked to him. Sean is a good person. I didn’t, and I just let it happen, so I deserve what I got. Look, I have been fired before. But I get pissed in New Orleans because I know I am better than that. I am a way better coach than I was allowed to be, and that’s just the truth. Oh, we are dead last in defense. Well, yeah, you are going to be dead last playing this bullshit defense. But it is my fault because I didn’t say anything. I never stood up and said, F– you, I ain’t coaching this. I promise you I’d say it now."

Not being shy about answering Ryan’s claims, Sean Payton told Pro Football Talk that the idea was silly. Rob Ryan was completely in charge, according to Payton.

"“The idea that it wasn’t his defense, or he wasn’t in charge of it, is silly,” Payton said.Payton said the Saints’ defense repeatedly struggled with fundamentals like getting the right calls and the right players on the field.“When you’re struggling as bad as we’re struggling for two years, and some of the same problems keep coming up — you know, 10 guys on the field — those are things that just are hard to live with,” Payton said."

It’s clear that the fallout of the Saints defense over the past couple of years were from a combination of things. Far too often did we see what Payton mentioned on the field. While the saga is over with, the only thing that matters is improving one of the league’s worst ranked defenses.

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