The NFC South is one of the two remaining divisions in the league that still have three undefeated teams. The New Orleans Saints kept their part of the bargain on Sunday by marking their second win of the campaign against the Carolina Panthers, 20-17.
Derek Carr played a key role for his new team on Sunday, and like the Saints, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to taste defeat in the new campaign.
Derek Carr Credits Defense for Win Vs. Carolina Panthers
Carr did not have the best of performances against Carolina, though. The former Las Vegas Raiders QB finished with 21-of-36 completed passes for 228 yards. He had zero touchdowns and one interception in the game.
Carr knew that he left a lot to be desired in Week 2. He is also adamant that New Orleans’ defense played a key role in their victory. In fact, the 32-year-old revealed that his decision to sign with the Saints this summer had a lot to do with their defense:
“That is a very big part of the reason why I came here,” Carr said, via a transcript from the team (h/t Josh Alper of PFT). “Any team that I talked to was a team with a defense. I played these guys. I knew Dennis Allen. I know what it is like and how difficult it is. All I want to do is win.”
New Orleans defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. New Orleans defeated Atlanta Falcons 23-13
NFL Falcons vs Saints, New Orleans, USA – 24 Dec 2017
It was a tale of two halves for Carr. Thankfully for him, his forgettable performance in the first two quarters of the game was salvaged by the Saints’ defensive proficiency against the Panthers.
“So, I was like, shoot, if I can go there and have a day like today — didn’t play my best in the first half, come back, play good in the second half and win a game? Like, I didn’t have to be perfect for four quarters and we won. That is awesome,” Carr continued.
“I don’t like that still. We won, but I am still sick because I should have played better. I can help the offense more. I sit back and I am already analyzing it, right? But to have that defense to hold us, keep us in there until we got clicking in the second half, I mean, it helped us win the football game.”
New Orleans Saints to Test Their Defense Vs. Green Bay Packers in Week 3
Derek Carr will now look to bounce back in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers. New Orleans’ defense will also be put to the test as they try and put an end to Jordan Love’s strong start to the season. After two games, the Love-led Packers offense has already put up 62 points on the board. It goes without saying that the Saints’ defensive line will have their work cut out for them come Sunday.
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