The decision not to play Deuce McAllister more, especially in short yardage situations, is a decision made early in the week and not on game day, according to Saints head coach Sean Payton.

Tom Strattman / Associated Press

Deuce found the sitting tough.

Payton, in his weekly press conference held on Monday after the game, said it would not have been fair to throw Deuce into the game when he hadn’t had the work during the week and during the game and say, ‘Go get us a yard.’

Fans have filled up web sites, forums and blogs, along with post-game radio shows with questions as to why, the running back who is arguably the best in team history, isn't playing, and isn't getting the ball, especially with the running game floundering.

Payton emphasized that Deuce has not been written off and that ‘his time is coming.’ He said decisions on who the short yardage person would be in a game are made on Tuesday nights during personnel meetings and that this week it was Pierre Thomas who received most of the work, with Reggie Bush also getting the work.

“Deuce isn’t getting those short yardage practice snaps,” said Payton. “It’s been our decision to say that, this week, this game, it’s our decision who the runner is (in those situations).”

Payton said there is no physical reason that Deuce is not playing.

“His time is coming. Mike McKenzie’s time came yesterday. Deuce’s time is coming. It has to come at the right time when I feel he’s ready. I think he’s healthy. I think he’s free from the pain of this injury. I think we would have been hard pressed to put Deuce in there when he hasn’t carried and say, “go get us a yard.”

Payton also said the Broncos had a man lined up in the neutral zone on the critical fourth down play where Thomas was stuffed and that the Saints should have called timeout prior to the play because of the defense the Broncos were lined up in.