3 things to know about Saints: Carr’s injury part of major collapse
The Saints entered the year believing they would be the best team in the NFC South. That they could make the playoffs after falling short last season.
New Orleans got off to a tremendous start. Things unraveled quickly from there. The Saints (5-10) are now staring a rebuild right in the face.
Injuries have been the main culprit. Former Raiders coach Dennis Allen couldn’t steer the team through adversity, leading to him being fired Nov. 4. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has been in charge as the interim coach since.
Things have gotten so bad for New Orleans that it’s a home underdog to the Raiders (3-12) on Sunday.
Here are three things to know before the matchup at Caesars Superdome:
1. What happened?
The Saints were the toast of the NFL through two weeks. They looked like a potential Super Bowl contender after a pair of blowout victories.
New Orleans smashed the Panthers 47-10 at home to begin the year, then destroyed the Cowboys 44-19 in Dallas.
Even the Saints’ 15-12 loss to the Eagles in Week 3 seemed encouraging at the time. But it turned out to be the start of a seven-game losing streak that derailed New Orleans’ season.
Allen was fired and the Saints responded by winning three of their first four games under Rizzi. But then they suffered a crushing 20-19 loss to the Commanders on Dec. 15 after failing to convert a 2-point try in the final seconds. That was followed by a disastrous 34-0 loss to the Packers on Monday.
Health has been a key factor in New Orleans’ recent results. Quarterback Derek Carr has played in 10 games. No. 1 wide receiver Chris Olave has played in eight because of a concussion. Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed suffered a season-ending knee injury in October.
Now, standout running back Alvin Kamara is out with a groin injury Sunday.
All those absences have added up to a lost year for the Saints. Still, the Raiders expect to face an angry team that should still compete hard.
“They’re going to be hungry,” Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said. “Rizzi, he’s done such a good job with the special teams over his career. He’s doing a good job as an interim head coach. I expect them to be ready to go. And that building is one of the hardest places to play. So, I’m looking forward to the challenge. These guys know they’re only guaranteed 17 opportunities to play this game. So, they’ll be ready to go.”
2. The reunion
The Raiders are quite familiar with Carr. They selected him in the second round of the 2014 draft and he spent nine years as the team’s starting quarterback.
The Saints also have tight end Foster Moreau on their roster, another former Raider.
This was expected to be a massive matchup when the NFL schedule was released in May. But it’s lost its luster a little bit with both teams struggling and Carr out with a left hand injury.
The Saints are a far more dangerous opponent with Carr on the field. He is still capable of moving an offense even if some of the shortcomings that frustrated the Raiders and their fans continue to show up in New Orleans.
3. Defensive playmakers
The Saints’ defensive statistics aren’t fantastic, but they do have some playmakers on that side of the ball.
Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Jordan remains New Orleans’ engine.
“He’s a great player, and he doesn’t look like he’s lost much even later in his career,” Raiders offensive coordinator Scott Turner said. “Plays with power and speed and always finds a way to be around the ball. And of course, when you’ve got someone like that that we have to put attention on, it opens up the rest of the defense to be able to play fast and confident, because they know they’re going to get some pretty good looks.”
The Saints also have veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu, who Raiders coach Antonio Pierce referred to as a “ball hawk.”
Mathieu isn’t forcing turnovers at the same rate he did earlier in his career, but he’s still capable of making game-changing plays.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
