Falcons' Smith goes off on Allen after Saints score late in blowout

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith went off on Saints sideline boss Dennis Allen on the field following New Orleans' 48-17 victory over Atlanta on Sunday.

Arthur was heated after the Saints ran up the score late while already leading by three possessions. New Orleans lined up in victory formation, but instead of taking a knee, backup quarterback Jameis Winston handed the ball to running back Jamaal Williams, who scored a one-yard touchdown to extend the lead.

"That's f-----g bullshit," Arthur seemingly told Allen postgame at midfield. The two didn't shake hands.

Allen apologized to the Falcons and Smith during his postgame press conference.

"That's not who we are, not what we're about," Allen said, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football.

Allen added that Saints players asked him if Williams - who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2022 but had yet to score this season - could get a TD in the season, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Allen rejected the request and wanted the team to take a knee, but the players ran the play anyway. Allen called it "unacceptable."

"We made a collective decision," Winston said postgame, per Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune.

Saints offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz also defended the players' decision to let Williams score late.

"I couldn't go home without getting him one. Whatever heat that comes with that, put that on the O-line," Ruiz said.

Sunday's loss officially eliminated the Falcons, who would've made the playoffs with a win and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Bucs shut out the Panthers 9-0 in Week 18.

Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.