Saints vs. Chiefs
Monday nights loss against the two-time reigning champions not only served as the Saints' third straight loss but also drastically altered the expectations for the rest of the season.
The first three and a half quarters were an all too familiar sight for Saints fans: unproductive offense, costly turnovers, and an over-reliance on the defensive unit that will eventually fold. Their first drive resulted in the worst throw by Carr this season as he threw up a ball in double coverage that fell right into the hands of a Chiefs defender.
While Carr eventually rallied back with two solid touchdown drives, ending with completions to standout receiver Rasheed Shaheed and tight end Foster Moreau respectively, it was not enough to complete the comeback against a Chiefs team whose offense was easily getting downfield and putting up points.
Then, before the end of the game, Carr was bitten with the injury bug, having to be replaced by Jake Haener for the Saints final drive to an oblique injury. It was bound to happen as key injuries to Saints offensive linemen have forced Carr to get the ball out quicker than usual, a key reason for the decline in offensive production over the past few weeks. Standouts Erick Mccoy, Cesar Ruiz, and Shane Lemieux, as well as Taysom Hill, who is often forced to block at either the fullback or tight end position, were all ruled out prior to the game against the Chiefs.
This caused problems throughout the game as the Chiefs consisted of a strong defensive front, led by pro bowler Chris Jones, that dominated the Saints second unit Monday. As a result, Carr was sacked once but hit eight more times.
Carr's
oblique injury appears to be serious, with him being pretty much ruled out this
Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as the Thursday night right
after against the Denver Broncos. This leaves Dennis Allen to unleash the
high-upside prospect of Spencer Rattler. With a season that appears to already
be hanging in the balance, choosing Rattler, a mobile quarterback that can
improvise plays, may just provide the Saints offense with the lift in needs to
return to its week one and two form.
