METAIRIE, La. ( Associated Press) — Saints coach Dennis Allen has decided Andy Dalton will remain as New Orleans quarterback for the fifth week in a row, even though Jameis Winston is healthy enough to return.
“Aggressively, I think we’re on pace,” Allen said on Wednesday, after noting that Winston, who is recovering from back and ankle injuries, was well enough to participate fully in practice. was healthy.
“We have moved the ball effectively. We have scored points,” Allen continued. “So we’ll continue down the road with Andy.”
New Orleans (2-5) has lost five of six and two in a row. But the Saints prepare to host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and they are just one game out of first place in the NFC South, a division in which every team has a losing record.
The Saints have averaged 31 points per game in four games with Dalton’s debut, down from 17 per game in three games with Winston in charge.
And when Dalton threw three interceptions in a 42-34 loss to Arizona last week, one of those passes came off wide receiver Marquez Callaway. There was another intercepted delivery in which Dalton was hurt while leaving the ball.
“The last four weeks, again, we’ve had one of the best offenses in terms of moving the ball, we’ve had one of the best scoring points. And that’s really the name of the game,” Allen said. “We have to do a better job defending the ball. And if we do that, I think we can be highly effective on the offense … If we continue to play well and keep the ball moving, then Andy will be there.
Neither Dalton, who is 1-3 as a starter nor Winston, who is 1-2, spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday.
“We’ve been able to get in a good flow,” said running back and offensive captain Alvin Kamara, who has 179 receiving yards and 251 rushing yards in three games with Dalton at quarterback.
“I think with Andy, he does a good job of staying focused and calms the way he is in the pocket and the way he reads. I think he’s never in a panic, Kamara said. “Looks like you are in the right place at the right time. He has played well except for the things in which we have hurt ourselves alone. I think it would be a good move going forward.”
