Katherine TerrellESPN Staff Writer3 Minute Reading
Derek Carr is week with a sprained AC joint
Saints coach Dennis Allen gave an update on QB Derek Carr’s strained AC joint.
METAIRIE, La. — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr sprained his right AC joint and is considered week-to-week, coach Dennis Allen said Monday.
Allen did not rule Carr out for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, saying the injury was not as bad as it could have been.
“I think we dodged a bullet there in terms of real significance,” Allen said.
Allen said Carr was feeling better Monday morning and that he would continue to be evaluated throughout the week.
“We’re not making any decisions right now; we’re not ruling anything out,” Allen said. “We’ll see where he is as the week goes on.”
Allen did not specify the grade of the sprain.
“All I can tell you is he’s better today than he was yesterday,” Allen said. “We’re going to continue to evaluate him, and when he’s good enough that he can go out and do and do the things he needs to do to give our team a chance to win, then he’ll be back out there.”
Carr’s playing status will likely be determined by his pain tolerance and ability to function, but Allen said the injury won’t get worse the longer he plays it.
“I don’t think it’s an increased risk of injury,” Allen said. “It’s ‘can you step up and do your job?'”
Carr was injured in the third quarter of the Saints’ 18-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Saints were up 17-0 when he took a sack that landed hard on his shoulder.
He lay on the turf for several minutes while athletic trainers attended to him. He then went to the medical tent on the sideline before leaving the game. Carr went to a local hospital for X-rays but flew back with the team on Sunday.
Jameis Winston took over in Carr’s absence, completing 10-of-16 passes for 101 yards. He was able to drive the team 47 yards to the Green Bay 34 in the final three minutes of the game, but Saints kicker Blake Grupe missed a potential game-winning field goal.
“I don’t think what we do has changed at all,” Allen said. “I thought Jameis did some good things in the game. We drove ourselves out there and gave ourselves an opportunity and didn’t finish.”
After the game, Allen said the Saints needed to defend better, but he didn’t attribute the injury to a struggling offensive line.
“I think that’s the one game I feel like he likes [the ball] too long,” said Allen.