Saints don’t regret their decision to go for 2 and win | Saints

Darren Rizzi believed in his team and played to their full potential.

The New Orleans Saints pulled within one point of the Washington Commanders when Foster Moreau scored a touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter. Instead of taking the game-winning extra point, Rizzi opted for the win. When the conversion attempt failed, Rizzi lost the bet and a football game.

That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do it again.

“I don’t think there’s a guy in the locker room who regrets that we went with two,” Rizzi said. “There’s not a single guy in there that didn’t want to do it. … We were in position to win it in the last game. We had one play from the 2-yard line to win the game. With all the momentum, I just thought it was the right decision.”

Aggression is part of Rizzi’s coaching personality. A few weeks ago, the Saints found themselves in a similar situation against the Los Angeles Rams, and Rizzi had already mentally committed to the idea of ​​winning by two if New Orleans scored a touchdown in the final seconds. He never had to make the call because the Saints turned it over on downs.

This time Rizzi didn’t have to think about it hypothetically. Before the Saints got possession of the ball, he had decided that if New Orleans got that far, he would go for the win, and there were many reasons for that decision.

If the Saints had gotten that far, it would have meant they would have outscored Washington 19-6 in the second half and scored on each of their four second-half possessions, so they had momentum on their side. However, it would be difficult to carry the momentum into overtime, especially considering the team has struggled with some injuries.

“You felt the dynamic change at the end,” Rizzi said. “I don’t regret it at all. I don’t think the players have any regrets. They were all for it. I just thought it was the right thing to do. In the end we managed our time there really well. … We left no time for Washington and Jayden Daniels. That was the plan.

“… When we scored, there was no doubt in my mind that we were going for two points and going for the win.”

Quarterback Spencer Rattler, who took over after halftime and led all scorers, said he was “100%” behind Rizzi’s decision to go for the win in the moment.

“I mean, when we’re where we are (5-9), you’ve got to go out and win the game,” Rattler said. “I love the aggression, I love the mindset. I think we need that.”

Defensive player Cam Jordan also supported him.

“Why not?” Jordan said. “I mean, the momentum was there. Rattler played his ass off. A big confidence boost for the young quarterback and the way the energy felt, there wasn’t anyone on the sideline that didn’t believe we could do it.”

On the play itself, the Saints lined up the ball on the left side and called Rattler to sprint out. The quarterback took the shotgun shot and immediately rolled to his right, where he had two teammates — tight end Juwan Johnson in the slot and receiver Kevin Austin at wide — on running routes.

Although Austin flashed in the end zone, Johnson was the star of the game, and as Johnson broke his path to the front pylon, Rattler quickly released a pass. It sailed just out of Johnson’s reach and crashed incomplete.

“There are a couple of two-point plays every game,” Rizzi said. “(Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak) and the offensive staff felt this was our best decision. Listen, it didn’t work. It is what it is.

“It was a phenomenal performance to get there, a phenomenal performance to win the game. Unfortunately we didn’t get the last one.”