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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Darrion Gray

MNF should serve as a sign to Saints ownership it’s time for a major overhaul

The New Orleans Saints lost in miserable fashion to the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. That loss has to be a wake up call to ownership that wholesale changes are mandatory.

Those chances have to start Darren Rizzi and could extend all the way to Mickey Loomis. The roster isn’t good, and that’s the fault of the general manager. Loomis’ future is difficult to predict, but there isn’t much more Rizzi can show to prove he should be the Saints next head coach. This is the moment for a completely new image. It’s vital that Gayle Benson see that.

After Sean Payton’s departure, Dennis Allen took over in the name of continuity. It was a questionable but logical decision at the moment. Taking the same approach this hiring cycle would be beyond questionable and illogical because what are you looking to continue?

There should be no desire to keep it in house, because you need new voices, new perspective, new vision and new direction. Moving from Allen to Rizzi gave you those things in small doses, but small changes won’t get you where you want to be. Monday’s game is an example of that. Poor discipline, clock management, and tackling were all on display at different moments.

Maybe you wouldn’t have gotten close to a comeback against the Commanders with Allen. That’s a small change, but Rizzi isn’t the guy to beat the Commanders either. Rizzi still hasn’t defeated a quality team, and a near comeback can’t be the headliner on a resume.

The Saints need new leadership. That conversation can extend to general manager, but for now we’ll keep it on the sidelines.

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