Don’t let it linger all week, Dennis Allen.
Go ahead and name Jameis Winston the starter and give him a full week of preparation for what is essentially a do-or-die game for the New Orleans Saints when they host the Carolina Panthers at noon Sunday.
There’s no need to wait to see whether Derek Carr clears concussion protocol.
There’s no reason to see how Carr’s shoulder and back and ribs — all which were injured in Sunday’s 33-28 loss to the Detroit Lions — feel the rest of the week. There's no reason to have Carr practicing as a limited participant leading up to such an important game.
Allen said Monday that it's too early to make an assessment on Carr's availability.
But it's not too early to just go ahead and say, "Hey, we're rolling with Jameis this week."
Forget about that $37.5 million per year that was invested in Carr this offseason to come to New Orleans to resurrect the offense. Think about the 70,000 fans who came to Caesars Superdome and booed on Sunday every time Carr hit the field in the first quarter.
This wouldn't be a demotion for Carr. This is just a chance for his body to heal after a season where he has taken a beating both on and off the field.
Sunday was Carr’s second concussion in three games and his third time injuring his shoulder this season.
Let him heal.
Let him watch.
Give Winston a chance to run the offense and see whether he can provide some type of spark. Mix in a heavy dose of Taysom Hill, too.
Yes, Carr showed some glimpses of why the Saints brought him here Sunday, completing 17 of 22 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown. He moved the offense better than he has all season.
But he also threw an interception that wasn’t his fault, but in a way it was. Juwan Johnson should have caught the pass that deflected into the hands of Detroit defensive back Brian Branch on the Saints’ first offensive play. But the pass really shouldn’t have gone to Johnson in the first place. Receiver A.T. Perry was wide open on the play.
There was also a fourth-quarter sack where Carr held the ball longer than he should have. On the very next play, Carr took the hit that ended his day on a pass to Alvin Kamara.
There’s no reason for Carr to prove how tough he is by coming back and playing seven days later.
Use this week to put a game plan in place that best suits your backup QB. Winston has been thrust into the fire in the middle of the game three times this season after a Carr injury.
“I’m grateful for every opportunity,” Winston said. “I view it from a baseball perspective, as the closer coming in at any time. No matter if you’re down 9-0 or up 10-0, you come in there to do your job and do your best and come out there and put on your best performance.”
As the starter, perhaps the results can be better. After all, Winston is 6-4 as a starter in New Orleans.
Winston has had some good moments and some not-so-good ones when he’s had to enter games this season. He hasn’t started a game since Week 3 of last season when he faced the Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Carolina will bring a dismal 1-11 record to the Dome on Sunday. If the Saints can’t beat Carolina with one of the league’s best backup quarterbacks, the problems in New Orleans are bigger than we thought.
When you’re riding a three-game losing streak like the Saints are, it’s time to try something new. There’s no more perfect time to do that than now with a banged-up Carr.
Winston won’t fix all of the offensive issues. Heck, he might not fix any.
But he understands the sense of urgency the Saints are facing. He wants to do his part to stop the booing that rained down in the Dome on Sunday. He encouraged Carr during those moments.
“I’m always lifting Derek up,” Winston said. “We have to give them something to cheer for. That can be difficult at times. (Derek) was very resilient, and he answered the bell.
To the fans, we function off your support. I know we’ve got to come in and give y’all something to cheer for. You impact us because we are trying to lift you up; we’re trying to put on a show for you. Your support, your cheering, the inspiration you give us is why we do this. … I encourage all of y’all to get behind us. That’s what this city is about. This city is about resiliency.”
If there was ever a time the Saints needed to be resilient, it’s now. They are 5-7 with just five games remaining. They are tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for second in the NFC South, a game behind the rival Atlanta Falcons.
Time is running out.
But there’s still time.
“Since I’ve been a part of this organization, we have always found a way to overcome any type of adversity and we always stuck together,” Winston said. “That’s that Southern love. That’s that New Orleans love, that gumbo. A bunch of different mixtures and you put them together in the pot and make something beautiful. We still have a chance to make something beautiful.”
It's time for Allen to stir the pot and name Winston the starter early this week.
