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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is working his way back from a concussion he suffered against the Minnesota Vikings. The bye week came at the perfect time for Carr and the Saints, as the quarterback had a week to get over his symptoms.
After being placed in the concussion protocol, the Saints, who are currently at 5-5 on the season and lead the NFC South, didn't have a game without their starting quarterback.
But as New Orleans comes out of its bye week, will Carr be in the lineup as they face the Atlanta Falcons?
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport offers Derek Carr update
Given that concussion is such a big issue in the NFL and with all the media scrutiny over it, naturally, any player who goes into the concussion protocol will be kept under a watchful eye.
So what about Carr's chances of facing the Falcons this week? NFL Network's Ian Rapoport offered an update about Derek Carr's availability for Sunday's game.
While this is encouraging news for Saints fans, it is unknown whether he will be available for Sunday's game against Atlanta. However, as Rapoport said, it is a good indicator that he is a full participant, and it appears that Carr will play on Sunday.
Derek Carr is crucial to the Saints' success
With New Orleans leading the division, having Carr back healthy is crucial for the team to continue holding the division lead. While having Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston as backups is good, Dennis Allen would ideally like to have Carr under center as we approach the end of the season.
The Saints play the Falcons, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, LA Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before ending their season at home against Atlanta. So there are a host of "winnable games" for the Saints, but they will feel even more confident if Derek Carr is their quarterback in those games.
Of course, there is no way around the concussion protocols, and the team won't make a hasty decision on Carr's health for a football game.
But, for the time being, things are going in the right direction, and if Carr does play on Sunday, the Saints will undoubtedly have a better chance of winning and, if they do, will expand their division lead over the Falcons.
