The New Orleans Saints are hoping for some sign that their once-promising season won’t continue its decline, with news that they got absolutely no help in the Big Easy on Wednesday.
Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Wednesday that Derek Carr has started throwing again in practice, but he likely won’t overcome his oblique injury in time to play Sunday.
Carr’s injury led to rookie Spencer Rattler getting the starting job, with New Orleans losing to the Buccaneers and Broncos by a combined score of 84-37.
Carr injured his oblique during the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
New Orleans hopes to have Carr back as soon as possible, as the Saints haven’t won a game since Week 2.
Derek Carr is on track for a return to the gridiron, but he is unlikely to play this weekend
Carr has been out since suffering the injury in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs
The Saints have the second-longest losing streak in the NFL, tied with the Browns at five games. The Patriots defeated the Bengals to open the 2024 season and have lost six straight games since then.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Carr was the catalyst for the NFL’s best offense as the Saints combined to score 91 points against the Panthers and Cowboys.
In the five games since the win over Dallas, New Orleans has combined to score 96 points.
The Saints are two games behind the Falcons and Buccaneers in the NFC South and just one game ahead of the only NFC team with just one win, the Panthers.
Rattler hasn’t looked bad in either start, but hasn’t done enough to make New Orleans fans less desperate to get Carr back.
The Saints’ Week 9 matchup against the Carolina Panthers seems like a realistic timeline for Carr’s return.