Allen on Winston: ‘We’re just trying to get him healthy’
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New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen gave a measured response Wednesday when asked to provide an update on quarterback Jameis Winston, saying, « we’re just trying to get him healthy. »
According to Wednesday’s injury report, Winston was not a participant during practice as he continues to recover from ankle and back injuries. And from the Saints’ goal of « just trying to get him healthy, » the idea of Winston starting this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks feels farfetched. With Andy Dalton in line to start for the second week in a row, his more conservative playing style could be just what the Saints need.
Expectations were tempered for Dalton heading into his first game as the starting quarterback, last Sunday’s heartbreaking 28-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. But Dalton performed admirably (20-for-28 for 236 yards and a touchdown), with the exception being a disastrous sack-fumble in the closing minute of the first half that gifted the Vikings three points.
The offense suffered another slow start, but that was as much due to play-calling and penalties as it was a reflection of Dalton’s performance. On their first drive, the team was flagged twice. On the next series, faced with the prospect of needing to gain three yards on two plays, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael elected to call two pass plays which netted the team a total of negative-four yards. While it’s fair to point out that Dalton was the quarterback during that sequence, blame also lies with Carmichael for choosing to abandon the run in a short-yardage situation.
Even with those negatives, Dalton led the Saints to a fourth-quarter lead for just the second time this season and had the team in a position to win. Prior to Sunday’s contest, the team had led for just 19 seconds in the fourth quarter of their first three games combined.
But it will be Dalton’s ability to minimize the negative plays that will be paramount to the team’s success as well as determine whether he keeps a grip on the starting role. For his career, Dalton has thrown an interception on 2.7% of his pass attempts, while Winston’s rate is 3.3%, and is even higher at 4.3% in 2022. And according to Pro Football Focus, the Saints’ offense had their best performance of the season against the Vikings with Dalton under center, finishing with a grade of 78.6. Their previous best was their Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons when they finished with a 75.1.
Through four games, if the Saints have learned anything, it’s that they don’t have a game-changer at the quarterback position. But with a talented roster, the team doesn’t need that. The team doesn’t need Dalton – or Winston if he reclaims the starting spot when healthy – to be a long-term answer. They just can’t be the problem.
