The ending of the Falcons and Saints game on Sunday afternoon was far spicier than anyone expected once New Orleans opened up a big lead in the fourth quarter. That’s because, up 41-17, the Saints offense with backup Jameis Winston in the game as quarterback went rogue and called an inside handoff for Jamaal Williams on the goal line out of victory formation.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith, who was fired later that night, was furious and cussed out Saints coach Dennis Allen at midfield afterwards. Allen then started his postgame presser by apologizing to Smith and saying he was right to be mad, saying he called for the Saints to take a knee but the offense chose to get Williams in the end zone instead. While I have to admit it was kind of funny, it was also not really a fair play, not because they ran a play in that situation but because they ran it out of the victory formation.
Shannon Sharpe explained why that is the part that crossed the line on First Take on Monday morning, as he absolutely lit up Jameis Winston, saying the Saints should’ve cut him immediately and saying he has a “loser’s mentality” because when you’re in victory formation the defense naturally lets up.
"I would cut Jameis Winston today."@ShannonSharpe reacts to the Saints scoring a touchdown at the end of the game vs. the Falcons. pic.twitter.com/efZt6Ezmmp
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 8, 2024
Theatrics aside of saying the Saints should cut Winston — he is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so they don’t need to do anything to let him go — Sharpe makes a good point about the victory formation part. The defense is expecting knees and is just ready to let the clock run out, so if you want to change it up and run a play there, actually line up in a real formation and run the ball with the defense ready for it.
Sharpe continued on by torching Winston’s “loser’s mentality,” and noted that he doesn’t see how Dennis Allen stays in charge because it shows the team has no respect for him. That is a particularly interesting part of this, because saying it was a “team decision,” as Jameis did after the game, doesn’t really fly in most locker rooms. You don’t just go rogue and make decisions against the coach’s call, especially in a moment like that, and Sharpe’s right that it’s hard to see how Allen remains in charge with there clearly not having his voice carry the loudest in that locker room.
Source: https://uproxx.com/sports/shannon-sharpe-jameis-winston-touchdown-victory-formation-cut-video/
