The Saints landed one of their biggest wins of the season with Dennis Allen at master controls, but the team is hopeful it won't have to go that route against for an upcoming showdown with the Dolphins.
Sean Payton is "feeling a little bit better," Allen said Monday on WWL Radio, but he's still not ready to return from the COVID list after testing positive on Friday (Dec. 20).
"Hopefully we’re going to get him back sooner rather than later," Allen said.
Listen to Allen's full interview below. Can't see the player? Click here.
As the Saints have seen in recent weeks, a return from the COVID list isn't as simple as it might sounds. Payton missed practice with an illness earlier in the week, but didn't test positive and returned to the team on Thursday. As of Monday afternoon there hadn't yet been any additional positive tests reported among the coaching staff or players.
The Saints' initial release with the news indicated he could return to the team after 10 days, meaning Allen will have at least a few more days in the head coach role regardless. One thing working in the Saints' favor is the timing of their next matchup, which comes on Monday Night Football. If Payton is out 10 days, he wouldn't return to action until Sunday.
Related
Allen hasn't indicated just how much the head coach has been involved in day-to-day work while away from the team, but they have been in contact regularly and the coach could still interact with the team and coaches virtually.
Whether it's Payton back calling the plays or another week of with Pete Carmichael on the mic, it'll come with a challenge. The Dolphins are one of the hottest teams in football and have won six consecutive games to get back to 7-7 and in the AFC playoff hunt.
"Any time you win six straight games in the National Football League, that says something about you and your football team," Allen said. "So we’ve got a huge challenge coming up on Monday night. We’re going to have a great week of practice and a great week of preparation to get ready to win a game.”
Related
