Frustration seemed to spill over in New Orleans on Sunday — in the stands and on the field.
With the Saints mired in a close game against the 1-11 Panthers, center Erik McCoy appeared to take out some of his frustration on quarterback Derek Carr after a late-third-quarter sack ended a New Orleans drive on third-and-short.
Carr gave it right back to McCoy.
And throughout the Superdome, Saints fans started booing.
New Orleans did hold a 14-6 lead at the time and went on to win the game 28-6.
But its offense has struggled all day against a Carolina team that has been terrible all season.
Carr, a supposed marquee acquisition over the offseason, went 18-for-26 passing for 119 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
The run game did not do all that much, either, but it was Carr who bore the brunt of the blame for the offense’s struggles, getting booed multiple times throughout the afternoon.
It did not ultimately cost the Saints (6-7) Sunday’s game, but things do look rather ugly in New Orleans for a club that is going on three seasons without a playoff appearance.
Carr was meant to alleviate the franchise’s hole at quarterback, which has been apparent since Drew Brees retired following the 2020 season.
But the four-year, $150 million deal Carr signed, with $60 million guaranteed, has only deepened the problems.
In the woeful NFC South, the Saints can still hope to make the playoffs.
But bigger-picture, things still appear rocky right now.