METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen said he knew right away that a Week 3 loss to the Green Bay Packers might come back to haunt the team down the road.
There was plenty to regret about the 18-17 loss, including quarterback Derek Carr taking a hit to his shoulder that ended his game early and lingered throughout the season.
But that loss, one in which they were up 17-0 heading into the fourth quarter, was just one of many instances that Allen lamented after the Saints were officially eliminated from the playoffs for the third straight year despite a 48-17 win against the Atlanta Falcons in the season finale Sunday.