Brandon Staley didn’t hide from the mess after the Saints’ 45-24 loss to the Falcons, but he made one thing clear Thursday: Troy Aikman’s television critique landed wrong.
The New Orleans defensive coordinator said the comments bothered him “because they’re not true,” after Aikman said during ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast that Staley “simply doesn’t have any answers” for Atlanta. Aikman’s remarks came with 2:43 left in the third quarter, as the Saints were being overwhelmed on the ground and trying to survive without linebacker Kaden Elliss and edge rushers Carl Granderson and Anfernee Jennings.
Atlanta ran for 205 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns, a night that made the broadcast criticism easy to hear and hard to ignore. But Staley pushed back on the idea that the Saints were overmatched from the start.
Staley said he had heard the comments but had “no idea” what Aikman was talking about. He pointed directly to last season’s matchups against Bijan Robinson, noting the Saints held the Falcons running back to 33 and 70 rushing yards in their two meetings.
“It was a tough night for us, and certainly, I’m responsible. I’m calling the defense, but we’ve got a great group of guys,” Staley said.
“No one defended that runner last year better than us. He’s a hell of a player.
But our group defended him twice last year better than anyone through his time in the NFL.”
The Saints were burned early when Robinson ripped off a 59-yard run three plays into the game, and Staley called that moment a “shock to everybody.” He said the defense responded well across the next three possessions before a fourth-down penalty opened the door to Robinson’s second touchdown.
“There were plenty of good moments in there in the first half, but after that possession, it was really up and down,” Staley said. “We did not play a good game after that fourth-down penalty. We never got our rhythm back as a defense.”
Aikman also suggested the problem went beyond scheme, saying Staley would not like the effort after players were “standing around watching the play, missed tackles, just bad football” on Atlanta’s fifth rushing touchdown. Staley said he did not question the effort, even if the execution was off.
“Our guys have played the right way,” Staley said. “And mainly that’s assignment, technique, effort, all in one.
I think the other night, we were missing two out of the three. Our effort was there.”
The Saints are now 1-3 and turn to Sunday’s home game against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings. Staley said the focus is already on the next one.
“We’re focusing on Minnesota, learning the tough lessons from the other night,” Staley said. “We’ve got the right guys to bounce back.”
In Other News...
Matt Ryans Falcons Role Is Already Turning Heads Around The NFL
Matt Ryans return to the Falcons has already become more than a ceremonial homecoming. Atlanta brought him in as president of football, a role built around oversight rather than day-to-day control, but he has been present in the places that matter most, around practices and in meetings as the team puts its football operation together.
What has stood out around the league is how seriously Ryan has taken the job after leaving his CBS broadcasting role to commit fully to the Falcons. NBC Sports Chris Simms pointed to that level of involvement as something different from the way some former players handle executive titles, and it is the kind of detail that is already shaping outside perceptions of Atlantas front office. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Get A Very Different Test Sunday Than Anyone Expected
Sundays matchup against Baltimore is already taking on a different shape than the one the Falcons likely spent the week preparing for. The Ravens are moving forward with a change at quarterback, and head coach Jesse Minter said he feels good about Tyler Huntley stepping in if needed, which shifts the spotlight for Atlanta from a familiar star to a backup with a much different profile.
Baltimore is also dealing with a notable absence on the edge, with Trey Hendrickson expected to sit because of a finger injury. For the Falcons, that means the challenge becomes less about surviving the version of the Ravens everyone knows and more about adjusting on the fly to a game plan that may look considerably different by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons May Need Kendal Daniels More Than Ever Against Baltimore
The Falcons have spent the early part of this season sorting out how best to use their second linebacker spot, leaning on rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. in different situations depending on the matchup. Daniels has drawn the nod when the priority is stopping the run, while Perkins has been asked to handle more of the coverage work, giving Atlanta a flexible but still evolving answer behind its front.
With Baltimore looming, that rotation feels more important than ever. Coach Jeff Ulbrich has been asking Daniels to absorb multiple defensive responsibilities as the Falcons try to match up with physical run games and backs like Derrick Henry, and Daniels has also seen work on the defensive line as part of that broader plan. For Atlanta, the question is less about whether the rookies can help and more about how much of the burden each one will carry when the opponent forces the issue on the ground. [Read more 🡒]