After missing three games with an oblique injury, Derek Carr is ready to make his return.
The New Orleans Saints expect Carr to start Sunday in their matchup against the Carolina Panthers, head coach Dennis Allen said Wednesday. Jake Haener will serve as his backup despite rookie Spencer Rattler starting the last few games in Carr’s absence.
“We felt like Rattler gave us the best chance at that point, and so I think we’ll see where we are this weekend, what our expectations are. I expect Derek to be ready to go,” Allen said. said, . “In this case, Jake will be the backup…I don’t want to go into detail about why, but I think it’s the best thing for our team.”
earlier this month after suffering a major blow towards the end of this competition. He hasn’t played since, marking the longest stretch he’s missed since breaking his ankle in 2017 while with the Raiders.
The Saints, who started the season 2-0 with two resounding victories, have not won a game since. Rattler led the Saints to a 51-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first start, and the Saints will enter Sunday’s game at North Carolina on a six-game losing streak. This is the team’s longest losing streak since 2005.
Carr has totaled 989 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions while completing just better than 70 percent of his passes in five games this season, his second with the Saints.
“I’m not a savior. There was only one and it wasn’t me,” Carr said. “I’m here to be a great leader and a great teammate and to do my job to the best of my ability. And do I have confidence in what I can do? Absolutely. I have confidence in what I can do. I have confidence in what I can bring to our team and that’s exciting, right? But to save us or anything like that, it’s not me, I’m going to come in and do what my guys do. expect me to work hard, be a great teammate, encourage our guys, get everyone on the same page, lock in details, hold each other accountable.
The Panthers, meanwhile, hold a 1-7 record heading into Sunday’s game. The Saints also beat the Panthers 47-10 in week one. Carolina said Wednesday that although I am a veteran He was in a car accident last week.