Saints players went rogue on play that sparked coaches’ spat

Jameis Winston has no regrets over the Saints players’ decision to go rogue late in Sunday’s blowout win over the Falcons.

The backup quarterback said they ignored the play called to take a knee and instead got Jamaal Williams a touchdown. 

The late touchdown with the Saints leading 41-17 at that point infuriated Falcons coach Arthur Smith so much, and he confronted New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen after the game.

For his part, Allen wasn’t thrilled with the decision either and told reporters the players had changed the play call.

“Well I apologize to D.A. because the play was victory, but I also explained to D.A. that it was a team decision,” Winston said. “I asked the guys, I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ We know how much Jamaal means to this team. And I understood from D.A.’s perspective, so I give him that, but D.A. didn’t condone that at all. 

“However, we decided as a team to do it.” 

Allen agreed that Smith “should be” upset over the touchdown with just over a minute to play in the game and described the decision as one “that’s not acceptable.” 

Winston, who was in the game for starter Derek Carr, said that the decision was made on the field after the interception had put the Saints onto the 1-yard line. 

The Saints lined up as if they were going to kneel to end the game, but instead handed the ball to Williams for his only touchdown of the season. 

“The score was already 41-17, so I don’t know how much worse it can get, but I got a ton of respect for Arthur Smith and the coach that he is,” Winston said. “I didn’t want to disrespect [Smith]. That was not my intention. My intention was to lead the team that I’ve been with the entire year and we made a collective decision that we wanted to get one of our guys that they fight with — blood, sweat and tears, every game — in the end zone. I’m going to feel good about that.”

Winston said that this is something that “should” be forgotten about pretty quickly, but the Falcons and Saints do see each other twice a year and it may become bulletin-board material for Atlanta. 

Neither team is headed to the postseason, which will give both sides plenty of time to think about the end of Sunday’s season finale.