It's been a wild ride for the New Orleans Saints this season, and not in the thrilling roller-coaster-of-victories kind of way. No, it's more of a "why-are-we-stuck-in-this-red-zone-nightmare" kind of ride, and the blame game seems to be off-limits in the Big Easy.
Enter Derek Carr, the quarterback who's making the red zone look more like a 'no-fly zone' for touchdown passes. If the Saints were a pizza, the red zone would be the crust, and Carr's performance would be the equivalent of forgetting the cheese – a crucial ingredient missing in action.
Dennis Allen, the head coach, seems to be tiptoeing around the Carr conundrum with the grace of a ballerina in cleats. In a recent press conference, when questioned about Carr's less-than-impressive stats, Allen masterfully sidestepped the issue, proclaiming, "We're not really in the business of the blame game. We're in the business of production." Well, Coach, production in the red zone seems to be as scarce as a Saints win lately.
Carr, on the other hand, seems to be in a state of quarterback bliss, blissfully ignorant of his red zone struggles. When pressed about his issues within the 20-yard line, he nonchalantly shrugged it off, claiming the team is moving the ball and working hard to fix the issues. It's almost as if Carr thinks the red zone is a distant, mythical place that only matters when you're playing a board game.
The real kicker? Carr believes the team has the secret sauce to fix their red zone issues but is keeping it under wraps. Well, Derek, secrets don't win football games, and the Saints faithful are getting restless.
The denial tag team of Allen and Carr is starting to show its cracks, and Saints fans are left scratching their heads. If Carr isn't losing sleep over his red zone struggles, should we start questioning if he's even aware he's in the red zone? And Allen's reluctance to call out Carr is raising eyebrows – he didn't hesitate to critique Chris Olave or take shots at Jameis Winston when he wore the quarterback crown last season.
Is it favoritism or loyalty gone awry? Allen was Carr's coach back in 2014 when he drafted him to the Raiders, and now, he's defending him like a mama bear defending her cub. The Saints' investment in Carr is substantial, with a $150 million deal, $100 million guaranteed – but if the return on investment is red zone fumbles, it might be time to check the warranty.
The team is showing signs of wear and tear. Michael Thomas is sending cryptic Instagram messages, likely dreaming of better quarterback play, and Alvin Kamara is hinting that the rah-rah speeches are falling on deaf ears. It's not just a football team; it's a soap opera, and we're all waiting for the next dramatic plot twist.
Even Bruce Arians, coach of the Buccaneers, had the guts to call out a six-time Super Bowl champion in Tom Brady. Meanwhile, Allen seems to be holding back like a stand-up comedian afraid of offending someone in the front row.
The Saints won't reach their full potential until Allen is willing to call out Carr, and the cracks in this comedy of denial are becoming increasingly apparent. How long can this team withstand the duo of Allen's delusions and Carr's denial before it all falls apart?
Saints fans, grab your popcorn – the show is far from over, and the punchline might just be the key to unlocking the red zone mystery.
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