While the New Orleans Saints still probably aren't going anywhere in 2024, Darren Rizzi showed in just one game why he's deserving of a shot at leading the team past this year. The Saints, who were losers of seven straight, stunned the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons this past weekend, winning the game 20 to 17.
It wasn't hard to see how fired up Rizzi was for his players and vice versa. After it looked like the team had quit on Dennis Allen, they fought hard for Rizzi and that showed in the three-point win. Following the win, Saints receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling made a comparison that fans are going to want to hear.
Valdes-Scantling appeared on Up & Adams on Tuesday and compared Rizzi to his former head coach Andy Reid. MVS spent two years with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning two Super Bowls with Reid as his head coach. Valdes-Scantling said that both Rizzi and Reid hold their players to the same standards no matter the experience level.
" holds everybody to the same standard, he's passionate, he holds people accountable. I think that's something that you just don't see a lot because when you get to the higher level of the NFL, everybody gets treated differently. But, he's one of those coaches like how coach Reid was, hold everybody to the same standard. I love that about him."
There seems to be a theme here with #Saints interim HC Darren Rizzi:
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 12, 2024
AUTHENTIC. @MVS__11 @lucaspatrick62 @heykayadams @Saints pic.twitter.com/TDRDYcR4wK
Marquez Valdes-Scantling praises Saints interim head coach following Week 10 win
The win was exciting for the Saints because it showed the team and the fans that this group of players still has something in the tank. When Allen was still coaching the team, it really looked like they had given up and resigned to losing for the rest of the season. It's not like that with Rizzi.
Let's not kid ourselves here -- The Saints aren't going to the Super Bowl. Hell, they're not making the playoffs either. That'd be a tough task at 3-7 but if Rizzi can continue to encourage his players to fight their tails off and the team finishes the season on a positive note, the front office won't have a tough decision to make when it comes to who to hire for the vacant head coaching spot.
Considering that Valdes-Scantling played under Andy Reid for two years in Kansas City, hearing him make this comparison matters. If the Saints have the next Reid on their staff, maybe the New Orleans Saints' luck is finally going to change.