Former New Orleans Saints All-Pro large receiver Michael Thomas went on a rant about Derek Carr on social media Sunday, saying the quarterback is the explanation for the Saints’ disastrous 2-7 season.
On the newest version of “All Facts No Brakes,” host Keyshawn Johnson, Thomas’ uncle, supplied his perspective on why Thomas made such a searing outburst.
“(Thomas) is talking from his damage expertise with Carr at quarterback, however he is additionally talking for the folks within the locker room who don’t desire Carr on the quarterback place as a result of they’re within the locker room, (so) it is onerous for them to criticize their quarterback ,” Johnson mentioned. “They weren’t tweeting about him, so it is good for Mikey, who has his former teammates’ backs as a result of he would not play with them (anymore).
When requested about Thomas’ posts, Carr mentioned that he he has “love” for Thomas but “doesn’t care” about his comments. He went on so as to add that Thomas is “like the one man” within the four-time Pro Bowler’s 11-year profession who did not get together with him.
New Orleans began this season 2-0, beating Carolina and Dallas by a mixed rating of 91-29. The Saints adopted up their sturdy begin by dropping seven straight video games, the final of which was a 23-22 loss to the then-1-7 Panthers.
In the times following that loss, the Saints fired coach Dennis Allen — subsequently selling particular groups coordinator Darren Rizzi to interim coach — and traded cornerback and four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore and a fifth-round draft decide for Washington for third, fourth and sixth spherical picks. New Orleans went 18-25 total beneath Allen from 2022-24.
Carr has totaled 1,225 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions and a 99.2 passer ranking this season, finishing 67.9 p.c of his passes. He missed three begins on account of an indirect damage, with rookie Spencer Rattler beginning in Carr’s place. Overall, the Saints are averaging 206.1 passing yards (18th within the NFL), 125.3 speeding yards (thirteenth), 331.4 whole yards (sixteenth) and 23.0 factors (sixteenth ) per recreation. For perspective, they averaged 337.2 whole yards (14th) and 23.6 factors (ninth) per recreation final season.
Before lacking 9 common season video games in 2020 and lacking 2021 altogether, Thomas was a Pro Bowler from 2017-2019, main the NFL in receptions in 2018 (125) and 2019 (149), receiving yards in 2019 ( 1.725) and being the clear receiver n. 1 for the Saints with future Hall of Famer Drew Brees beneath middle.
Thomas appeared in simply three video games in 2022 and 10 in 2023 on account of damage, totaling 39 receptions for 448 yards and a landing in his closing yr. New Orleans launched Thomas as the subsequent lower on June 1 within the offseason.
The 2023 season was Carr’s first with the Saints, a season that noticed them go 9–8 however miss the playoffs. Carr totaled 3,878 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a passer ranking of 97.7, finishing 68.4 p.c of his passes.
Johnson felt that the Saints would have most well-liked a QB who was beforehand of their constructing to be beneath middle, as an alternative of Carr.
“When you hearth everybody on the offensive aspect of the ball, and the quarterback continues to be the issue, however you attempt to conceal it and make it appear to be it is different folks’s fault and different folks’s drawback, that is what Mikey is speaking about,” Johnson mentioned. “Maybe Jameis Winston when wholesome was higher than Carr, however Jameis Winston bought damage and by no means bought wholesome once more. But now he is wholesome in Cleveland, and it has been a combined bag for 2 video games. (But) take a look at that, and also you say ‘we might have been higher with that man,’ and that is the way you take a look at it as a participant.”
The Saints hearth HC Dennis Allen after a 2-7 document
As for the aforementioned teaching change, the Saints fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael after 15 seasons on the job (2009-23), changing him with former San Francisco, Denver and Minnesota offensive assistant Klint Kubiak, son of the previous NFL head coach Gary Kubiak.
Winston performed for the Saints from 2020-23, serving as a backup quarterback in 2020 earlier than turning into a starter in 2021. He threw for 14 touchdowns and boasted a 102.8 passer ranking earlier than tearing his ACL seven weeks after the beginning of the season and lose his beginning place once more. in 2022 after being injured three video games into the season.
Winston was the Saints’ backup quarterback once more in 2023 behind Carr earlier than signing a one-year contract with Cleveland final offseason. He’s now Cleveland’s starter within the wake of quarterback Deshaun Watson tearing his ACL in Week 7. The Browns are 1-1 with Winston beneath middle.
Next up for Carr & Co. on Sunday is a house recreation in opposition to NFC South rival Atlanta (1 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
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