The Saints potentially lost more than the game Monday night when Derek Carr injured his oblique late in the Chiefs’ 26-13 win.
Carr dropped back to launch a desperation pass on fourth-and-eight down two scores with under 10 minutes to go in the game. He laid on the turf in pain for a few seconds before heading to the sideline and eventually back into the locker room. It didn’t take long for the Saints to announce he was questionable to return with an oblique injury.
Carr was 18-for-28 for 165 yards, two touchdowns and one pick before hurting his oblique. He entered the game completing 72-of-100 passes for 824 yards, six touchdowns and three picks for a 103.9 passer rating.
Jake Haener replaced Carr with the Saints down 26-13 in the final minutes. The team’s fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft saw the first real action of his career, completing 2-of-7 passes for 17 yards while running the ball twice for 11.
Carr’s status will obviously be front of mind as the Saints have a short turnaround as they prepare to host the Buccaneers on Sunday. He's been an Iron Man throughout his career, starting 164 games since entering the NFL in 2014. It's the most by any quarterback over that period, ahead of Russell Wilson (156), Matthew Stafford (150) and Kirk Cousins (146).
Unfortunately, when asked how he felt after the game, he simply replied, "Not good," with a grim look on his face.
New Orleans has lost three in a row after starting the year off 2-0, and it might be up to a backup to get them off the schneid. Haener isn't the only other quarterback on the roster, as the Saints drafted Spencer Rattler in the fifth round of the 2024 draft.
The Saints were two-point favorites for next week's NFC South clash against the Buccaneers on Sunday night, but that obviously would change should Carr miss the game.
