Shepherd did not try to injure Herbert, Saints’ Allen says

New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen mentioned on Monday that he doesn’t agree with the accusation defensive deal with Nathan Shepherd deliberately tried to damage quarterback Justin Herbert on Sunday.

Shepherd and Los Angeles Chargers middle Bradley Bozeman had been each flagged for pointless roughness after Shepherd appeared to twist Herbert’s proper ankle after he had already taken Herbert to the bottom. Herbert threw a cross to Chargers operating again J.Ok. Dobbins and was nonetheless standing up when Shepherd, who was on the bottom, pulled him down by his ankle.

Herbert’s ankle twisted awkwardly in Shepherd’s grip and he fell backward to the bottom. Bozeman jumped on prime of Shepherd and shoved him off Hebert and pinned him to the bottom earlier than an official came visiting to interrupt issues up. The 2 got offsetting penalties.

“I feel it is not correct. This is a man that is attempting to wrap the quarterback up. He is on the bottom, he has no concept whether or not the quarterback has the ball or not. He is simply attempting to deliver the quarterback right down to the bottom,” Allen mentioned. “There was nothing malicious about that play. It is a man that is attempting to make the play. I went again and checked out that play once more after seeing the feedback and I do not agree with that.”

Bozeman informed reporters on Sunday that he was attempting to guard Herbert, who has been enjoying by way of a proper ankle sprain since Week 2.

“It was most likely one of many dirtier performs I’ve ever seen,” Bozeman mentioned on Sunday.

“You shield your quarterback it doesn’t matter what. And I feel any of our offensive linemen that was in my place would’ve achieved the identical factor.”

Shepherd’s teammate Khalen Saunders responded on X to criticism from Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL analyst and present Fox analyst, on Sunday. Saunders disagreed with Acho’s remark that Shepherd deliberately tried to injure Herbert.

“For those who truly watched the play you’d see that he hit him proper earlier than Justin underhand flipped the ball to the RB to keep away from the sack,” Saunders wrote. “He considering Herbert nonetheless has the ball.”

Bozeman was given a recreation ball after the sport by Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh.

“That is the kind of middle you need in your crew,” Herbert mentioned on Sunday. “He’ll give all the things for this crew, and I appreciated what he did. I attempted to tug him off so he did not get any penalties referred to as, however to have a man like that defending you, there is not any higher feeling.”

That is the second time this season {that a} Saints defensive lineman has been accused of soiled play. Rookie defensive lineman Khristian Boyd was accused of deliberately attempting to injure Philadelphia Eagles broad receiver DeVonta Smith after Boyd hit him within the helmet space as two teammates had been attempting to make the deal with. Smith was positioned into concussion protocol after the hit, which later resulted in a $4,600 fantastic for Boyd.

The Saints are on a six-game dropping streak and have performed the previous three video games with out beginning quarterback Derek Carr.

“I might anticipate him to be again out at observe on Wednesday after which we’ll go from there and see what his availability is for this week however I am optimistic about it,” Allen mentioned.

Allen mentioned that broad receiver Bub Means has a excessive ankle sprain and can miss time. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore and operating again Kendre Miller have hamstring accidents.