New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) is helped to his feet after being injured during the third quarter of their game Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Derek Carr's injury portends another lost season for Saints

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 9/25/23

New Orleans blew a 17-0 lead against Green Bay in Week 3, yet that wasn't the worst thing to happen to the Saints on Sunday.

Starting quarterback Derek Carr suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter, forcing him out of the game. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Carr will receive additional tests at an area hospital, where doctors will check him for "internal injuries."

#Saints QB Derek Carr is being taken to a local hospital to run additional tests after having X-Rays at the stadium, sources say. They will check for, among other things, internal injuries.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2023

NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill reported that Carr will likely miss multiple weeks.

I would expect Derek Carr to miss some time based on what I'm hearing
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 24, 2023

New Orleans built a 17-0 halftime lead and led by the same margin entering the fourth when the wheels began to fall off. Carr sustained his injury on the Saints first drive of the third quarter after being sacked by Rashan Garry.

Backup Jameis Winston came in and led New Orleans offense to four consecutive punts. He finally managed to generate offense on the Saints final drive, which ended with a missed field goal by Blake Grupe.

Winston finished the half 10-of-16 for 101 yards and will likely start next Sunday when New Orleans hosts Tampa Bay, the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2015.

The Saints are 6-4 in Winston's 10 starts from 2021-22, with the team averaging 22.7 points per game.

Overall, Winston is 168-of-276 (60.9%) with 2,028 yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his 10 starts with the Saints.

However, New Orleans was held under 20 points in his final two starts last season before he was benched for Andy Dalton after sustaining fractures in his back.

New Orleans already knows how this story ends with Winston at quarterback, so it signed Derek Carr during the offseason.

If it's without its prized free agent signing for an extended period, the 2023 season will be just like the two seasons preceding it, with the Saints at home for the playoffs.

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