METAIRIE — Sean Payton said the Saints’ coaching staff decided early for each of the Saints’ first three games that Deuce McAllister was not ready to take on a regular role in the offense.The question now is whether those decisions cost the Saints losses in their last two games, given that McAllister has said he is healthy enough to play.”Deuce McAllister has been a great back for this club and this team,” Payton said. “But we have to make a game plan at the start of week, and we’ve got to trust that our game plan is the right plan, not only by play design but also by personnel design.”The Saints stuck with their plan in a 34-32 loss in Denver, during which they failed five times to convert pivotal running plays.First came Bush’s fumble on third-and-1 from the New Orleans’ 33-yard line.Next came three successive failures after the Saints had second-and-goal from the Denver 1 with a chance to tie the game before halftime. Pierre Thomas was stopped on a run on second down, Drew Brees mishandled a snap on third down, and Denver stuffed Thomas again on fourth-and-goal.Finally, with just more than two minutes left in the game, a potential game-winning drive fizzled when Thomas was stopped for a loss on third-and-1 from the Denver 25.Had that play succeeded, the Saints could have run out most of the remaining time while attempting to score a touchdown or set up a short field goal.Payton blamed his own failure to call time-out before the play. Denver had crowded the line of scrimmage. With time running low on the play clock, Brees had no chance to change the play with an audible.”That’s on me,” Payton said. “Pierre did a good job — as good a job as he could have done … I really don’t think who the running back was would have mattered.”Payton added it’s hard to argue with an offensive scheme that gained 502 total yards against Denver.Payton gave players Monday off. McAllister was not available to comment.The Saints’ all-time leading rusher at age 29, McAllister has spent most of his career converting short-yardage plays with a bruising running style that often compensates for missed blocks.”Deuce’s playing time is coming, but at the same time, it’s got to come at the right time when I feel like he’s ready,” Payton said.—-Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]