This Sunday, when the New Orleans Saints face the Chicago Bears it'll be more than just your regular game. It'll really be a battle of the past and present, as Kellen Moore takes on his predecessor, Dennis Allen.
You see, the Bears' defense is run by Allen, former head coach of the Saints from 2022-2024, and before that, their defensive coordinator from 2015-2021. He and the team didn't have a good breakup either, as he was only the third coach in team history to be fired mid-season. For many reasons, from questionable coaching decisions to apologizing to the archrival Atlanta Falcons, fans and probably some former members of the black and gold were more than happy to see him go.
Earlier this week, he said there was no doubt the team would have extra juice this week. "We all have these kinds of reunion games, so to speak, and we fall back to our past experiences." Moore said to the media. "You have a love and appreciation for people. A lot of guys got drafted here because of Dennis, and so there’s an appreciation for that."
Kellen Moore's offense vs. Dennis Allen's defense
When Kellen Moore and Dennis Allen face off on Sunday, it'll be a battle of their specialties. It'll also be a chance for Kellen Moore to show on the field just how much of a right decision it was to hire him rather than stick with Dennis Allen.
In his first season in Chicago, Allen seems to almost be doing that on his own, as the Bears defense is currently ranked 27th in the National Football League, allowing 369.4 yards a game so far this season. The Saints offense, however, isn't doing that much better and is also ranked near the bottom of the NFL. At the time of writing this, they are ranked 24th in the league in terms of yards per game, with 305.3.
Despite them being close to dead last in the league, the Bears do lead the league in one category: turnovers. They, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, currently have eight turnovers heading into week seven of the 2025 season.
Moore is already aware of what the Bears' defense can do, calling them fast and physical in a midweek press conference. "They're playing obviously with a lot of confidence," he said to the media. "The turnover thing is real. ... They're doing a great job of attacking the football; they had three this past game, you could argue they had three more opportunities. They're playing a very confident brand of football right now."
Allen also chimed in a little bit on the upcoming reunion when he was asked about his former quarterback, Spencer Rattler. "I think he's doing a good job of getting rid of the ball. When he's able to get the ball out in rhythm and on timing, he's been highly successful," he said to the media.