Banged up, slumping Saints now face uncertainty at QB as they try to end a 3-game skid

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The once-surging New Orleans Saints are now slumping and unsure when quarterback Derek Carr will be able to play again following his oblique injury during the club's third straight loss.

Carr left Monday night's loss at Kansas City with a left oblique injury, and coach Dennis Allen did not provide any medical updates on Tuesday when he spoke with reporters after analyzing video of New Orleans' latest setback.

Carr pledged that he’d do everything he could to be ready by this Sunday, but the NFL Network has reported that Carr is expected to miss miss multiple games.

In Carr's absence, the Saints could start either Jake Haener, a 2023 fourth-round draft pick out of Fresno State, or rookie Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round draft choice out of South Carolina.

Rattler has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game.

Haener has had mop-up duty several times and came in for Carr late in the fourth quarter against Kansas City, completing 2 of 7 passes for 17 yards.

Allen said Haener “did fine,” considering the circumstances.

“He was under duress a lot,” Allen said. “It got to that point in the game where they were kind of cutting loose on the pass rush. I don’t think there were a lot of opportunities for him.”

While the 26-13 score in Kansas City represented New Orleans' first loss by more than three points this season, it also belied how dominant the defending champion Chiefs really were — despite some key injuries of their own.

The Saints possessed the ball for a mere one-third of the game (20:04), were more than doubled up in total yards (460 to 220) and had half as many first downs (14) as the Chiefs did (28).

“Obviously we played a good football team in a hostile environment and we didn't fare well," Allen said. “That just tells us we've got a lot of work to do.”

While Allen said the whole club was frustrated over its "lack of ability to really get anything going offensively," the third-year Saints coach stopped short of foreshadowing significant personnel changes in Week 6.

The coaching staff needs to consider: “What's our part in that?” Allen said. "How can we put our guys in better positions to have success?”

One thing Allen wants to avoid is a locker room full of disgruntled players who start pointing fingers and fracturing.

“We've just got to stick together as a group," Allen said. “The only way you can turn things around is to be a united front.”

What’s working

New Orleans' defense has remained pretty resilient in the red zone, holding Kansas City to just two TDs on seven possessions that ended at or inside the Saints 20-yard line. The other five red-zone possessions resulted in four field goals and an interception.

What needs help

The Saints' running game, which averaged 185 yards in Weeks 1 and 2, hit its lowest point this season at Kansas City, gaining a meager 46 yards on 15 carries.

Stock up

Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders had a strong showing in his second game this season since returning from a calf injury. His highlights included his first career interception on a tipped ball in New Orleans' end zone. Saunders not only stopped Kansas City from scoring, but also returned the ball 37 yards to ignite a touchdown drive that briefly pulled the Saints within a field goal in the second half.

Stock down

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak might have been the most popular person in New Orleans through Week 2, when the Saints had scored 91 points and had blown out their first two opponents.

Since then, his offense has sputtered.

His game plans might have been hampered by multiple injuries on the offensive line. In any event, scoring has plummeted to an average of 16.3 points per game during New Orleans' three-game skid.

“It’s a difficult thing to do to have that many changes on your offensive line," Allen said. "And yet, we’ve got to figure out ways that we can still move the ball.”

Injuries

In addition to Carr, the Saints lost safety Will Harris to a hamstring injury.

It remains unclear how soon versatile tight end Taysom Hill might return from a rib injury. Linebacker Pete Werner (hamstring) also did not travel for Monday night's game.

Key number

29 — The difference between the number of offensive plays run by the Chiefs (80) and the Saints (51) on Monday night.

What’s next

The Saints return to New Orleans for a pair of home games in the span of five days. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who traveled to New Orleans on Tuesday to escape the path of Hurricane Milton, play at the Superdome on Sunday.

Former Saints coach Sean Payton — the only coach to bring New Orleans a Super Bowl title — brings Denver into the dome on the following Thursday night.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Brett Martel, The Associated Press