Posted on: September 26, 2023, 11:17h.
Last updated on: September 26, 2023, 11:17h.
The New Orleans Saints’ quarterback, Derek Carr, suffered a shoulder injury in their Week 3 loss against the Green Bay Packers. As a result, Carr’s status for future games is listed as week-to-week on the injury report.
Carr was forced to leave the game in the third quarter after taking a hard hit. The Packers’ linebacker, Rashan Gary, sacked Carr and caused him to suffer a right shoulder injury. Carr remained motionless on the field for several minutes before being attended to by the training staff and later taken to a local hospital for X-rays.
According to Saints tight end Juwan Johnson, “D-Carr got slammed pretty good. You could just tell. It was unfortunate because of the sack. I knew something was up with the force he was put on the ground.”
Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed expressed his concern, saying, “Just to see him on the ground not wanting to move, of course that was alarming to see.”
Initial fears that Carr may have suffered a season-ending injury on his throwing arm were dispelled after an MRI revealed that he had only sprained his AC joint, the area where the shoulder and collarbone meet.
Jameis Winston Steps Up as Backup After Carr Injury
The timeline for Carr’s return to the lineup is currently unknown, but the Saints have listed him as “week-to-week” until his shoulder injury fully heals. It seems that the team and Carr are opting to let the AC joint injury heal naturally rather than resorting to surgery.
Following Carr’s exit from the game, the Saints blew a 17-0 lead against the Packers and ultimately lost 18-17. Prior to his injury, Carr completed 13-of-18 passes for 103 yards and one touchdown.
In the second half, Jameis Winston stepped in as the backup quarterback for the Saints. Winston completed 10-of-16 passes for 101 yards, without throwing any touchdowns or interceptions. However, he was sacked once by the Packers.
Head coach Dennis Allen commented on Winston’s performance, saying, “Jameis did fine stepping in. Overall, I’m just going to say it wasn’t good enough for any of us.”
Winston, the former #1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, has a 34-46 overall record as a starting quarterback with previous stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and now the Saints. In ten starts with the Saints, Winston has led the team to a 6-4 record.
Winston is expected to start in Week 4 in place of Carr. The Saints also have Taysom Hill, a versatile player who is listed as their third-string quarterback and also plays as a tight end. Hill leads the Saints in rushing this season with 91 yards on 16 carries.
The Saints have had a string of unfortunate luck with their quarterbacks, as Carr’s shoulder injury marks the fifth consecutive season where a starting quarterback for the Saints has gone down with an injury. Drew Brees experienced a thumb injury in 2019 and broken ribs in 2020. Winston suffered an ACL injury in 2021 and had foot and back injuries in 2022.
Betting on the Saints: NFC South Futures and Week 4
The Saints entered this season with depth issues at running back due to injuries to two backups, including rookie Kendre Miller. Jamaal Williams, the team’s starting running back, is currently on the injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.
The team is eagerly awaiting the return of Alvin Kamara, a former All-Pro running back who served a three-game suspension for his involvement in a fight in Las Vegas. Kamara is set to make his season debut in Week 4.
The Saints will face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a heated NFC South divisional battle at the Superdome in New Orleans. Both teams currently have a 2-1 record and are tied for first place alongside the Atlanta Falcons. The Carolina Panthers are the only winless team in the division with a record of 0-3.
Despite Carr’s injury, the Saints have opened as -4.5 favorites against the visiting Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have a 2-1 record against the point spread, while the Saints have a 0-2-1 ATS record.
The Buccaneers’ quarterback, Baker Mayfield, led the team to two consecutive wins to start the season before suffering a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
Carr’s injury did not have a significant impact on the Saints’ futures market. Currently, the Saints have +3000 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII and +1800 odds to win the NFC Championship.
In the NFC South futures, the Saints are the favorites with +125 odds to win the division. They are followed by the Falcons with +165 odds, the Buccaneers with +320 odds, and the winless Panthers with +3500 odds.
According to a prop bet by DraftKings, the Saints have -185 odds to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and +150 odds to miss the postseason.