Saints’ Dennis Allen Said He Didn’t Consider Benching QB Andy Dalton

The Saints turned in another dismal performance on offense in Monday night’s 27–13 loss to the Ravens, but coach Dennis Allen maintained that he never considered making a change at quarterback 

Andy Dalton made his sixth consecutive start Monday and once again turned in an uninspiring performance. He ended the game 19-of-29 for 210 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and was sacked four times. 

After the game, Allen was asked whether he considered making a change behind center during the game. 

“No, I didn’t,” Allen answered. “There was a lot that wasn’t good offensively tonight. There was a lot of dirty hands in that.” 

Later on in the press conference when asked whether Dalton’s performance changed his commitment to the quarterback, Allen again said, “No.”

Though Dalton’s showing was far from spectacular, Allen is right to point out that the Saints offensive struggles extended far beyond the quarterback position. New Orleans also struggled to run the ball, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry in the loss. 

Dalton has managed admirably across his six starts since taking over for Jameis Winston when the former No. 1 pick suffered an injury in Week 3. He’s gone 2–4 during that stretch, but three of the losses have been by just one score. 

However, with Winston now healthy, Allen will likely continue to field questions about the team’s quarterback situation, especially if the struggles continue. The Saints are now a disappointing 3–6 on the year, but remain just a game out of the lead in the NFC South through nine weeks. 

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