Before the New Orleans Saints’ Sundays win over the Rams, one NFL reporter felt that their old coach Sean Payton was a winning totem. After winning only one in the past five games before defeating the Los Angeles Rams 27-20, Peter Schrager of the NFL Network claimed that a team visit from Payton gave them the boost to win 24-0 in Week 8.
Schrager claimed on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” last week that Payton was in New Orleans for the Saints’ 24-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. The way Schrager framed it, the Saints got a spark from Payton and then could not recreate it once their former coach left town.
On that last drive, @A_kamara6 became just the 2nd player in #Saints history to reach 9,000 all-purpose yards – joining @MarquesColston ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/jlSlJr4swL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 20, 2022
“Sean Payton popped in because he had something to do in New Orleans, and like gave them a pep talk that week, they won 24-0,” Schrager said. “And then Sean Payton leaves, and it’s like, maybe the worst thing he could have done was give them a taste of the Sean Payton magic.
“Because they won 24-nothing once he lit a fire under their asses, he called out the defense, then he goes back to L.A. where he’s living in Manhattan Beach or wherever, they’re back to not being able to stop or score any points, you know?”
Apparently, Schrager’s sorry was missing a key element: the truth. Saints running back Alvin Kamara saw the reporting on The Saints Wire on Twitter and called Schrager out for the “fake news.”
Now @PSchrags … who gave you this Fake news?? #Misinformation https://t.co/9vAy1TNzXR
— Alvin Kamara (@A_kamara6) November 19, 2022
“Now @PSchrags… who gave you this Fake news?? #Misinformation,” Kamara tweeted.
Later, Schrager replied to Kamara’s call out, admitting that he got the story wrong. Although Payton was in New Orleans during the day of the Week 8 home game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he did not address the team.
“Misinterpreted this one,” Schrager tweeted. “Payton was in town that week; didn’t address the team. I’ll own this one and eat it.”
Misinterpreted this one. Payton was in town that week; didn’t address the team. I’ll own this one and eat it. https://t.co/5385s3uUgO
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) November 19, 2022
The Saints, led by quarterback Andy Dalton, defeated the Rams, who lost QB Mathew Stafford when he left the field to be evaluated for a concussion in the second half. Dalton threw three touchdowns as he filled in for Jameis Winston, who was active but is no longer starting. Dalton completed 21 of 25 passes for 260 yards.
“What we need to do is cut it loose. Why not?” Dalton said. “That’s just the mindset, the mentality that we have to have.”
The win discredited Schrager’s theory that the team needed the energy of its former head coach to win. The fact that the Saints defeated the reigning Super Bowl champs is an uplift that can be deemed motivation to boost team morale. Like Who Dat Nation wants the world to put the respect back on their names, players like Kamara are checking the media. The NFL media personality has all the access to find the truth.
Schrager works at NFL Network and is an analyst on the “FOX NFL Kickoff” show. Ironically, Sean Payton is a co-worker on that show, and now Schrager knows that Who Dat Nation is paying close attention to how he interprets their story.
