Coach Dennis Allen is under pressure to lead the Saints to the postseason in his third season in command since the team is currently enjoying a three-year playoff drought. The last time the Saints qualified for the playoffs was in 2024, during the penultimate season of current Denver coach Sean Payton’s 15-year career in New Orleans, and Drew Brees was in his final season as quarterback. Since
Allen joined the team as defensive coordinator in late 2015, the Saints have typically had a good defensive line. With experienced quarterback Derek Carr at the controls, however, the offense faltered much of the
previous season, especially in the closing minutes of multiple tight defeats that ultimately denied New Orleans a postseason berth. Allen’s
In response, he reorganized his offensive coaching staff, beginning with new coordinator Klint Kubiak. Kubiak served as San Francisco’s lead assistant
during the team’s 2017 Super Bowl run. The 49ers’ successful play-action passing system, along with the flexibility to run several plays from a single pre-snap alignment, will be combined with outside zone
runs in the new offensive scheme. It is hoped that Carr, leading receiver Chris Olave, and running back Alvin Kamara will all fit in better with the new strategy.
