Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has spent most of his NFL coaching career in New Orleans, but he said on Thursday that neither that history nor the way his time with the Saints ended will be on his mind this weekend.
Allen started his second stint with the Saints as their defensive coordinator in 2015 and moved up to the head coaching job when Sean Payton left the team after the 2021 season. Allen wasn’t able to replicate Payton’s success, however, and got fired after opening last season with a 2-7 record.
On Thursday, Allen said “I don’t think I’m going to go there” when asked about what went awry for the team last season and said he’ll be keeping his mind on Sunday’s game between his new team and his old one.
“A lot of good experiences, a lot of good people, a lot of wins,” Allen said, via Andrew Seligman of the Associated Press. “We were a part of a lot of success there. I’ve got fond memories of it, but this week is really all about let’s focus on the football. This is going to be about the players on the field, Bears versus the Saints, those guys will really determine the outcome of the game.”
The Bears rank 27th in points allowed and 26th in yards allowed, but Allen’s unit has done a good job of forcing turnovers. The Bears are second in the league with 12 takeaways and their plus-10 turnover differential in the last three games has helped fuel the three-game winning streak they hope to extend against the Saints.
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