Sean Payton is wasting no time getting back to business. 48 hours being back in the NFL, he’s cleaning house and starting with the firing of Defense Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and secondary coach Ken Flajole. Yesterday Payton mentioned how the defense performance was “keeping him up at night” and I guess he wanted a good night’s sleep. Gregg Rosenthal reports Payton is looking to switch up the defense philosophy:
“Philosophically we are changing our defense to a 3-4 alignment and right now is the best time to accomplish this transition.”
That was fast. But now you have to wonder who that player scathing opinion of Spagnuolo was and it was a factor in Payton’s decision. Either way it doesn’t take much when as a coach you led your unit to a NFL worst defense in league history.
Some will be skeptical of the Saints switch to a 3-4 defense but I can think of two outside linebackers as possible starters in this new scheme, Martez Wilson and Junior Galette. Each had flashes of potential during the season and putting them in outside as pass rushers can only maximize their potential.
Who Sean Payton will choose as his next DC is anyone’s guess. Romeo Crennel comes to mind but I think he should get another shot at head coach. At least many Saints fans are happy that Spags is gone.