Derek Carr and his absence have clearly impacted the Saints. The team that initially looked dominant has registered 5 consecutive losses. The last two games against the Bucs and the Broncos have showcased how vulnerable the team’s offense is, especially without Carr.
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While Spencer Rattler has been trying his best to bring back the teams’ momentum, the Saints’ fans know the impact Carr holds on the field. He even scored 2 TDs against the commanding Chiefs before exiting with an oblique injury on October 7.
Throwing more light on the QB’s absence and its possible timeline, Dennis Allen provided some input during the conference call. The coach shared the progress made by the quarterback, the severity of the problem, and the possible return. Regarding the Chargers game, Allen honestly gave a three-word reply:
“I’m not sure.”
For the coach, the progress is evidently there as indicated by the trainers. Tomorrow, they will start with Carr’s throwing practice and eventually progress. The coach is concerned about how well their QB1 can rotate his upper body, move his torso, and be able to throw the football freely.
For an oblique injury, it takes multiple weeks to heal. Carr has already missed two weeks and the coach reflected that the week after the Chargers’ game is probably when the quarterback might return. Even the ex-Saints’ QB Drew Brees sat out two weeks of training camp before the 2014 season.
This timeline highlights the possibility of Carr being in the process of making his return. However, as the player pointed out it is more about mobility than pain when it comes to the abdominal muscles.
Derek Carr’s oblique injury details
The October 7 game between the Chiefs and the Saints had a couple of setbacks in store for the latter. Not only did they lose 26-13 to the defending champions, but their QB Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury.
The professional noted that the injury probably happened while he was throwing an incomplete pass toward the last quarter. Carr highlighted that the problem with the injury is that it impacts his throwing because the power for the action comes from the core muscles instead of the arm.
He honestly admitted that his exit from the Chiefs wasn’t pain but because he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. Even the coach admitted that more than a pain tolerance question, the oblique injury is about functionality and that is the team’s primary focus for Carr right now.
For now, all we know is that the game against the Chargers will again see the Saints playing without the 33-year-old. Meanwhile, his training and progress will be under observation and the next three to four days will provide a clearer picture.
