While the New Orleans Saints have time to salvage this season and a relatively weak upcoming schedule, they may have hit a new low point. The Saints (5-7) have lost three straight for the first time this season to fall a full game behind first-place Atlanta in the NFC South. Starting quarterback Derek Carr is in the concussion protocol for the second time in a month and also has throwing shoulder and rib injuries — all of which leave his status in doubt for upcoming games.
The boos seemed to rain down on Derek Carr until Lions defensive tackle Bruce Irvin crashed down hard on top of the the Saints quarterback with a little more than 10 minutes to go in New Orleans' 33-28 loss to Detroit on Sunday. For the third time in his 10th NFL season and first with the Saints, Carr had to leave a game with upper-body injuries, concussion symptoms or both.
The Saints’ sizeable investment in Derek Carr is looking more like a liability lately. New Orleans has struggled to finish promising drives in the end zone — something that likely needs to change if the Saints (5-6) are to keep up with the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (8-3) in the Superdome on Sunday. “It’s something that we’re working on,” Carr said this week.