Last Sunday, the New Orleans Saints curb stomped the Los Angeles Rams in the Superdome. The Saints finished with 555 yards total yards and blew out their opponent 49-21.
This marked the first meeting between Saints head coach Sean Payton and his former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
For those who need a refresher on what bounty gate was, it was a system Williams had orchestrated with his defensive unit to injure opponents for money, while with the black and gold. If you hurt an opponent, you got paid.
When the NFL probed the Saints for the bounty program, Sean Payton received a suspension that lasted an entire NFL season and then some (9 months). Williams was out for 18 months and quickly found another defensive coordinator position with Jeff Fisher and the Rams.
There was clearly animosity coming from Payton on Sunday. He was fist pumping and galavanting after every score or big play. There were a lot of those on Sunday.
The biggest one came when the game was out of reach 42-21. Payton dialed up some double pass trickery for a 50 yard score. Brees threw it in the flats to Willie Snead who chunked it downfield to Tim Hightower. That play was the exclamation point on this book.
What Payton did was one of the most bush league displays I have ever seen. As bush league as it was, that is not why I think Payton is a cum stain for doing it.
If you honestly believe Payton had no idea about the bounty program and that Williams was really a “rogue” coach, you have the IQ of a baked potato.
Payton is the head coach. Yes, I know defenses don’t meet in the same room as the offense and all those lame duck excuses. Give me a break. Payton is paid to run the entire team, not just score points and run the offense.
Sean Payton used the phrase “do your job” a bunch during the Saints stretch of glory. As head coach, isn’t it your job to know what is happening with your football team? Do your job, Sean.
Do I agree with what happened during bounty gate? No. Paying to injure someone is a travesty, although it happens more than myself or fans will ever know. But to sit here and pretend that Payton knew nothing, get real.
Quite frankly, I won’t remember the bounty part of that run.
What I will remember is the best three year stretch in Saints history when Gregg Williams was calling the plays for the defense. Guys like former linebacker Scott Shanle and current safety Roman Harper praise Williams for the time they had playing for him.
“It’s all life lessons I guess. I look back on it and I don’t think we were as bad as everyone made us out to be. I loved playing for the guys and he’s someone I’ll look up to for the rest of my life in just helping me become the person I am in my career and having faith in me when a lot of people didn’t. For that right there, I’m always thankful and he’ll always be a good friend of mine,” Harper said.
Shanle had a similar tune to his former DC…
“I think deep down everybody appreciates everybody who had a part in what we accomplished in those three years. I think it’s still definitely hard for them to get over it. I wasn’t as heavily involved with the courtroom and all the stuff those guys went through and had to go against each other,” Shanle said. “For me when I look back, it’s tough because I want to have everybody show up at a reunion and get along and celebrate together. I don’t know if that will ever happen, and that’s a shame.”
It is absolute disrespect to pretend Williams did nothing for the Saints, except hurt the franchise. I mean, he did help you win a fucking Superbowl. It is not like you have been spectacular without him as your defensive coordinator. Looking at you, Sean.
- Payton record w/ Williams: 3 Seasons – 37-11 (Playoffs: 4-3)
- Payton record w/o Williams: 6 Seasons – 55-52 (Playoffs: 2-2)
I could make the case that Gregg Williams made Sean Payton or at least gave him job security until Tom Benson is gone. I remember hearing talk prior to the magical 2008-2009 season that Sean Payton could be on the hot seat if he didn’t do well.
Now, he has the most job security in the world and it is a direct result of the Superbowl win. He and General Manager Micky Loomis have not drafted as well in recent years and clearly don’t have the win total the last three years.
But you know, we can just sweep average seasons under the rug because they won a Superbowl, even with a perennial Hall of Fame quarterback like Drew Brees.
Maybe Williams cost Payton $7 million for 2012, but he helped him get a pass for mediocrity with the best three years in franchise history and a Superbowl.
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