NFL Star Defends Derek Carr, Blasts Trolling CJ Gardner-Johnson

The Saints offense went stale on Sunday, but New Orleans has a chance to turn that around.

Sep 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) calls a play at the line against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Orleans lost its first game on Sunday and maybe even some of its mojo. The Saints looked unstoppable through the first two games of the season, averaging 45 points a game in two blowout victories. However, in Week 3, the offense stagnated against the Eagles, falling 15-12 loss at home.

Adding insult to injury, former Saints and current Eagles cornerback Chauncey Gardner-Johnson relished the Philadelphia victory after the game. "They (Saints) ain't no contenders. They're pretenders," Gardner-Johnson was heard yelling in the locker room. "They have Derek Carr remember that." Gardner-Johnson finished with eight tackles and a pass deflection.

Carr certainly had his worst game of the season. He passed for 142 yards with one touchdown and an interception at the end of the game that sealed the Eagles' victory. Dallas Cowboys All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons came to Carr's defense in response to Gardner-Johnson's comments.

'I don't know who [C.J. Gardner-Johnson] thinks he is'

Micah responds to Eagles DB calling Derek Carr and the Saints 'pretenders'

(via The Edge with Micah Parsons) pic.twitter.com/t0IyP4n4QV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 24, 2024

"I don't know who C.J. Gardner (Johnson) thinks he is," Parsons said on his weekly podcast The Edge with Micah Parsons. "I think Derek Carr has validated himself way before C.J. has ever done......Derek Carr has been a Pro-Bowl quarterback before. Derek Carr has always been a pretty damn good quarterback."

Parsons would definitely have inside knowledge, as he and the Cowboys saw the Saints' offense crush them in Week 2. Carr went 11/16 for 243 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in the Saints' 44-19 victory. New Orleans looks to recreate the magic from the first two games moving forward, even though Sunday's loss stings.

"You're pissed because you lost. You're mad at that," Carr told reporters. "You want to win all these games. But at the end of the day, we played a really good football team."

The Saints will continue to play good football teams moving forward. Up next is a road game against its arch-nemesis, the Atlanta Falcons, who beat the Eagles in Week 2 for their only win. After that, it's a date with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night football before returning home to face last year's NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The beauty of the NFL is that it is played week to week; the previous game is irrelevant to how the next game is played. Under Klint Kubiak, Derek Carr, and the rest of the offense, New Orleans has a significant potential for improvement. This should make fans feel optimistic about the team's future. Time will tell if Sunday was an aberration or a sign of things to come.

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