In a season filled with frustrations, the New Orleans Saints had a chance for vindication this Sunday. They faced off with their former head coach, Dennis Allen, who is now the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
Instead of a satisfying victory, the Saints endured a brutal loss in which Allen's defense shone brighter than it has all season.
The meeting ended up being a revenge game for Allen, one that he didn't deserve to enjoy as much as he did.
Dennis Allen gets his revenge against Saints in Week 7
Allen was a decent coach for most of his time with the Saints. That is, he was a decent coach on the defensive side of the ball. While his defenses were consistently competitive, he was never able to put together a complete football team. He only posted a winning record once in his three seasons in charge and never made it to the postseason.
As a result, New Orleans moved on from him in favor of offensive guru Kellen Moore. While the jury is still out on Moore seven weeks into his tenure, nobody could question the decision to try something new.
Of course, Ben Johnson and the Bears quickly scooped Allen up as their DC. So far this season, his defense has struggled to keep up with opposing offenses. They're among the NFL's worst in both yards per game and points per game allowed.
This matchup between the Saints and the Bears should have been the final piece of evidence that moving on from the former head coach was the right decision. Instead, Allen got the last laugh as his defense dominated Spencer Rattler and the Saints.
New Orleans scored just 14 points on the day, losing by multiple scores in an ugly game. Rattler threw three interceptions and fumbled once. He was sacked four times, losing 24 total yards. The Saints put up just over 250 yards in the game, but they were unable to convert their opportunities into points. Allen's scheme held up against Moore's offense, as he seemed to be one step ahead throughout the game.
The loss is just one more blow to a New Orleans team that has had its fair share of frustrations this season. It's still difficult to argue that they should have kept Allen in the building, but there's no doubt that the former head coach got the last laugh today.