Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was upset with Dennis Allen and the New Orleans Saints running up the score with a Jamaal Williams touchdown late in the game in Week 18. However, quarterback Jameis Winston took responsibility for the play, explaining what happened after the game.

“I apologized to DA because the play was victory,” Jameis Winston said, via Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I also explained to DA that it was a team decision. I think when you have tam morale, and I asked the guys, I said, ‘Guys, what do you want to do? We know what Jamaal means to this team.' And I understood from DA's perspective. I give him that. DA didn't condone that at all, he didn't. However, we decided as a team to do it. And man, we got an interception to the 1-yard line. You know? So if we would've scored, would it have still been disrespectful?”

The Saints ended the season strong with a 48-17 win over the Falcons, but they did not get the result needed elsewhere to make the playoffs, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South by beating the Carolina Panthers.

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Jameis Winston and the Saints' decision to get Jamaal Williams into the end zone at the end caused a stir, but now both teams will move on to the offseason and try to build teams that are capable of making it to the playoffs in 2024. It will be interesting to see if Dennis Allen and Arthur Smith are still with their teams come next season.