Would the Saints Defense Make Derek Carr A Better Quarterback?
In the summer of 2009, during the Saints ' Super Bowl run, training camp would be humid, sticky, and brutal. I recall one of the players, either Drew Brees or Jonathan Vilma, saying, "Iron sharpens iron" after a challenging day of practice. Their camp battles were intense and legendary. Ultimately, both players worked together to win Super Bowl XLIV against Payton Manning, Dwight Freeney, and the Indianapolis Colts. Drew Brees relied on a Saints defense led by Jonathan Vilma to improve his play and vice versa.
Sean Payton and Drew Brees made offensive improvements which the Saints' defense led by Gregg Williams directly influenced. Brees was able to set numerous NFL records as a result. Given this success, it's worth considering what a defense led by Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, and Tyrann Mathieu could do for Derek Carr's development.
Why? In the last season, New Orleans had a better overall defense ranking at No. 9 compared to Las Vegas at No. 26. The Saints were particularly strong in defending the pass, allowing only 3,134 yards and ranking at No. 2, while the Raiders surrendered 4,129 yards and ranked at No. 29. Derek Carr will face a stout passing defense than what he had in Vegas.
Two sources, Ross Jackson of the Saints News Network and Locked On Saints, and Brad Spielberger of PFF, recently discussed whether the Saints' defense could impact Derek Carr's performance in the 2023-24 season.
On Locked On Saints, Jackson analyzed Carr's propensity for throwing downfield to create big plays. "If you're going to be an offense that challenges downfield, you have to be prepared to turn the ball over. It's called a high-variance offense." Carr will have opportunities for big plays on offense, but he will face a daily challenge against a more formidable Saints defense that will push him to make smarter decisions.
Derek Carr was rated "a Top-10 quarterback for us [PFF] from 2019 to 2021; he did struggle last year," Spielberger told the NFL Network. "But look at the defense and how much they can impact a quarterback and the pressure they want to try and score on every single drive over the last four years. The Saints have been a Top-10 defense in EPA per play allowed. Which effectively is a context-adjusted metric that looks at down and distance. A 30- to 40-yard gain on 3rd and 3 matters more than a four-yard gain on third and 10. Whereas the Raiders [defense] have not been in the Top-25 in EPA per play on defense in any of the last four seasons. For Carr, it could simply be not trying to press so much, and you don't have to score on every drive. Just move the ball down the field and rely on a very good New Orleans Saints defense."
The New Orleans signal-caller will have to contend with the challenging defenses of head coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Carr will be up against a tough New Orleans secondary featuring Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu, requiring him to be quick and accurate. During the season, a better defense could also give the Saints' offense more opportunities to score by creating turnovers, improving field position, and limiting the opposition's scoring.
2023-24 could be an impressive season for Derek Carr. Will he have an opportunity to elevate himself and the New Orleans offense thanks to battling against and working with an improved Saints defensive unit?
We shall see.
Get more Saints Lagniappe with the Saints News Network for more coverage of the New Orleans Saints throughout the offseason from senior writers John Hendrix, Bob Rose, Ross Jackson, and Kyle T. Mosley.
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