A Non-Defense Defense of Dennis Allen

What this thread is NOT: an argument that Dennis Allen is a GOOD NFL HC.
What this thread is also NOT: and argument that Dennis Allen is not a BAD NFL HC.

We simply have not seen an environment that controls for the necessary variables to allow us to know whether he is good or not.

To be a good, modern NFL HC i feel like you should
1) Win games (this is obvious)
2) be elite on one side of the ball

Here’s the rub….#1 is pretty much reliant on how good your QB is


DA has had:
-Carson Palmer in his last season in Oakland. Palmer has had like 2 good seasons in his entire career. This season for Palmer would be Derek Carr’s worst season of his career outside of his rookie season, for context.
-Terrell Pryor, a literal wide receiver
-The first 4 games of Derek Carr’s career.
-Jameis Winston/Andy Dalton

Look, maybe the great, QB whisperer, Kyle Shanahan would have won 10 games with that line up but man, thats a big yikes.

The biggest knock you can put on his HC resume is that his defenses were bad in Oakland, but im not exactly sure how that relates to now, as his Saints’ defenses have gotten BETTER since he became HC in NO.

Outside of “hey you lose games” which, look i get it, its an auto-argument winner to people who dont want real context, you dont hear any of the hallmarks of “bad coach”. His team respects him, vets respect him, the culture seems good.

2023 is really the first time where he has a QB good enough, on a roster solid enough, to analyze his HC abilities.

And for those that say, in his 3.5 seasons of HC experience so far, that a good coach would have won more games, maybe you are right, but what specifically would they have done better? Because frick, Sean went 7-9 3 times in a row with Drew Brees. And McVay just lost 12 games with a SB winning team. And on the other side, the Bengals are top contender with Zac Taylor…..