David Carr Aims for .500 as Starter, Giants Play to Avoid Further Collapse
New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants: David Carr Looks for Redemption as Both Teams Fight for Pride
As the NFL season winds down, the New Orleans Saints (5-7) travel to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Giants (2-8) in a matchup that holds little playoff promise but plenty of intrigue for fans and bettors alike. The Saints, struggling to find their footing after an early-season slump, are looking to David Carr to help them push toward a .500 record as a starting quarterback. Meanwhile, the Giants, losers of seven straight, are battling through adversity to salvage any semblance of respectability.
The Saints and Giants met last season in New Orleans, with the Saints emerging victorious 24-6 and covering a 6.5-point spread. Will New York rebound, or will Carr lead New Orleans to a much-needed win on the road? Let’s dive deeper into both teams’ struggles and strengths.
David Carr Aims for .500 as a Starter: Saints’ Road Struggles and Defensive Woes
After starting the season with an encouraging 2-0 record, the New Orleans Saints quickly fell into a rut, losing seven straight games. This led to the firing of head coach Dennis Allen, and the Saints have shown some improvement since the change, winning two of their last three games. However, they are coming off a tough 21-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and will need to battle the elements and their own inconsistencies if they hope to win in New York.
David Carr, who has struggled to live up to expectations this season, has shown flashes of his potential. Despite a 4-5 record as a starter this year, Carr has thrown for 1,926 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just four interceptions, completing 68.1% of his passes. His 65.1 QBR ranks sixth in the NFL, underscoring his ability to still be effective despite the Saints’ ups and downs.
However, the Saints have been plagued by defensive inefficiencies. They are ranked 19th in points allowed (23.4 per game) and dead last in yards per play allowed (6.3), which places an enormous strain on the offense. The absence of key players like tight end/running back Taysom Hill (knee) for the remainder of the season only adds to their challenges.
Offensively, New Orleans ranks 14th in the league, averaging 23 points per game, but they must improve on both sides of the ball to make a serious push for a road win in New York. The Saints’ defense has allowed 385.1 total yards per game (30th in the NFL), so Carr and company must step up if they want to leave MetLife with a victory.
Giants Looking to Avoid Further Collapse: Drew Lock Steps In Amid Offensive Struggles
The New York Giants have been nothing short of disastrous in 2023, with a dismal 2-8 record and a woeful 2-7-1 mark against the spread. Their most recent loss, a 27-20 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, extended their losing streak to seven games. Despite a series of personnel changes, the Giants have struggled mightily on both offense and defense, and there is growing uncertainty about whether they can turn things around.
In a surprising move, Drew Lock will start at quarterback for the Giants once again, despite Tommy DeVito being a full participant in practice. Lock’s first start of the season against Dallas saw him complete 21 of 32 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. While Lock is by no means a franchise savior, his performance could be key in a game where both teams are simply playing for pride.
However, the Giants’ offensive woes go far beyond the quarterback position. The team ranks dead last in scoring (averaging just 13.8 points per game) and near the bottom in several other offensive categories, including 31st in passing yards, yards per play, and total yards per game. Adding to the injury list is rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who leads the team in receiving yards (740) but is questionable for Sunday’s game due to a hip injury. If Nabers is unable to play, the Giants will be even more undermanned offensively.
Defensively, the Giants have been slightly more competent, ranking 18th in points allowed (23.2 per game), but still, they give up an alarming amount of yards and struggle to stop the pass. Their defense has been unable to make up for the offensive ineptitude, and with little help coming from the roster, it’s hard to imagine a significant turnaround for the Giants in the near future.
Conclusion
The Saints are the more complete team overall, and with David Carr under center, they still have the tools to move the ball and potentially capitalize on a weak Giants defense. The Giants, however, will be looking to avoid further embarrassment, but with so many holes in their lineup, they’ll be hard-pressed to put together a full game of consistent football.
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