Sports
Saints QB Derek Carr (oblique) practices, expected to play vs. Panthers
Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks on as he is sidelined with an injury during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who hasn’t played since suffering an oblique injury on Oct. 7, returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play Sunday against the host Carolina Panthers.
Carr, who was limited at practice, was expected to miss multiple weeks after the left oblique strain in the 26-13 loss to the host Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.
“It sucks having to sit there and watch when it wasn’t the most painful thing I’ve ever dealt with,” Carr said Wednesday, referencing the broken ankle at the end of the 2017 season while with the Raiders. “It really wasn’t … it was just a lack of being able to do my job.
“And so that was the most frustrating part, because I couldn’t just play through it, you know? I just literally couldn’t do it,” he continued. “It’s been the most frustrating injury I’ve ever had, besides breaking my ankle and not being able to play in the playoffs that year. … Because there’s literally nothing that I could do but wait and just let it heal.”
The Saints opened the season 2-0 but have lost six in a row — the last three with rookie Spencer Rattler as the starter. Rattler, 24, was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He has completed 59 of 99 passes (59.6 percent) for 571 yards, one TD and two picks.
New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said that Jake Haener, who replaced Carr in the Chiefs game, will be the top backup, ahead of Rattler.
“We felt like Rattler gave us the best chance at the time, and so I think we’ll see where we’re at come this weekend, what the expectation is. My expectation is that Derek’s going to be ready to go,” Allen said. “In that case, Jake will be the backup. … I don’t want to get into the specifics of the reasons why, but I feel like that’s the best thing for our team.”
Carr has passed for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season, his second in New Orleans.
“I am no savior. There’s only been one of those and, that is not me,” Carr said with a laugh. “I am here to be a great leader and to be a great teammate and to do my job the best of my ability. And do I feel confident in what I can do? Absolutely. I feel confident in what I can do. I feel confident in what I can bring to our team. And that’s exciting, right?
“But to save us or anything like that, that’s not me, I’m gonna come in and do what my guys expect me to do. Bring energy, bring effort, be a great teammate. Encourage our guys, get everybody on the same page, lock in the details, hold each other accountable.”
He thanked the Saints’ athletic training staff for getting him back on the field by the end of the month, which he doesn’t believe is too soon or risky.
Carr also related texting with former Saints star QB Drew Brees, who had a similar injury the 2014 preseason and played through it. Brees advised Carr to maintain his mechanics, which he felt suffered when he returned to action.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection during nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, Carr has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 40,089 yards, 250 TDs and 111 interceptions in starting all 164 career regular-season games.
While Carr and running backs Alvin Kamara (hand/rib) and Jamaal Williams (groin) were limited participants on Wednesday, cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) and safety Tyrann Mathieu (illness) were among teammates that missed practice.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sounders' strong start helps extend unbeaten streak vs. Dallas
Apr 25, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders defender Alex Roldan (16), left, and Dallas FC midfielder Ran Binyamin (6) battle for the ball during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Jordan Morris had a goal and an assist as the Seattle Sounders defeated visiting FC Dallas 2-1 Saturday night.
Jesus Ferreira also scored and goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made five saves for the Sounders (6-1-1, 19 points), who extended their unbeaten streak in league play to six matches (5-0-1).
Nolan Norris scored for Dallas (3-3-4, 13 points), which is winless in its past four (0-2-2). Goalie Michael Collodi made four saves, including one on a penalty kick.
Dallas is 1-13-4 all-time at Lumen Field, with the lone victory coming in 2011.
Dallas dominated possession in the opening 15 minutes, spending most of it in the Seattle end, but it was the Sounders who struck first.
Jackson Ragen sent a long ball down the right wing to Morris. With Danny Musovski charging toward the net, Morris passed to Ferreira, who was trailing the play just inside the top of the 18-yard box. The former Dallas standout took a shot that deflected off defender Lalas Abubakar and past Collodi.
The Sounders doubled their lead in the 30th minute. Hassani Dotson made a pass from his own side of midfield to Snyder Brunell, who took a couple of strides and sent a through ball to Morris for a breakaway. As Collodi charged toward him, Morris lifted a shot over the goalie with the outside of his right foot.
Dallas pulled within 2-1 in the 40th minute. Santiago Moreno’s corner kick from the left wing found Norris outside the near post and he flicked a header into the far side netting for his first MLS goal.
Ferreira had a chance for a brace on a penalty kick in the 54th minute, but Collodi made a diving save to his left. The penalty was awarded when Abubakar tripped Paul Rothrock near the end line on the left edge of the 18-yard box.
Dallas played without its top two scorers in Petar Musa, who leads MLS with nine goals, and Logan Farrington, who were both left out of the lineup due to lower-body injuries.
The Sounders were without midfielders Albert Rusnak (hamstring) and Cristian Roldan (concussion protocol).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Whitecaps continue hot home streak, down Rapids
Apr 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen (1) watches the shot from Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Brian White (24) (not pictured)as it goes into the goal during the first half at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images Brian White scored a brace to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
Cheikh Sabaly also scored a goal for Vancouver (8-1-0, 24 points), which won its fourth straight match, all at home. Yohei Takaoka made two saves for the Whitecaps, who remained three points behind the first-place San Jose Earthquakes, a 3-2 winner over St. Louis City earlier Saturday, in the Western Conference standings.
Rafael Navarro scored a goal and Zack Steffen finished with five saves for Colorado (4-5-1, 13 points).
Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Sabaly drilled a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the right corner. Thomas Muller notched an assist on the play with a one-touch pass from the left wing.
White made it 2-0 midway through the period, taking a long through pass from Andres Cubas outside the left side of the penalty box and then curling a right-footed shot around Steffen and into the far right corner of the net.
Colorado was coming in off a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday that saw the Rapids finish with 72.5% possession. They cut the lead to 2-1 in the 32nd minute when Navarro put in a left-footed rebound of his own shot from inside the 6-yard box.
Vancouver appeared to regain a two-goal lead in the 77th minute when Bruno Caicedo knocked in a rebound of his own shot near the middle edge of the 6-yard box. However, the goal was overturned after a lengthy VAR review for a handball when it was determined the ball hit Caicedo in the arm after his original shot was blocked by Lucas Herrington.
The Whitecaps then made it 3-1 eight minutes later when Caicedo fielded a long through pass from Sebastian Berhalter on the left wing and crossed a pass to White in the center of the box. White then smashed a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net for his eighth goal of the season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Josh Jung’s 2-run blast lifts Rangers past Athletics
Apr 25, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) scores at home plate as Athletics catcher Austin Wynns (29) attempts to make the tag during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Josh Jung hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 4-3 on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Corey Seager had two hits and an RBI for Texas, which evened the three-game series after losing the opener 8-1 on Friday.
Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts over five innings. Cole Winn (2-1), Jalen Beeks and Jakob Junis each pitched a scoreless inning before left-hander Jacob Latz retired the Athletics in order in the ninth for his first save.
Shea Langeliers and Jacob Wilson had two hits apiece for the Athletics, who lost despite out-hitting the Rangers 7-5. The Athletics were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and fell back into a tie with the Rangers for first place in the American League West.
The Athletics claimed a 1-0 run in the second inning when Wilson doubled and scored on Darell Hernaiz’s two-out single.
Gore allowed two more runs in the third. With two on and no outs, Colby Thomas singled in a run before Tyler Soderstrom grounded out. Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to score Nick Kurtz from third.
Texas answered with two runs in the third against Jeffrey Springs (3-2). The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs and pushed a run across on Brandon Nimmo’s sacrifice fly before Seager singled in a run with two outs.
Springs gave up four runs on five hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out four.
The Rangers pulled ahead on Jung’s two-run homer in the sixth. Seager hit a leadoff single and Jake Burger flied out before Jung deposited Springs’ 0-1 slider over the right-center field wall.
The 381-foot blast was Jung’s fourth homer of the season. After going 0-for-17 in March, Jung is batting .371 (26-for-70) with 14 RBIs in his last 20 games.
The Athletics put the tying run in scoring position with one out in the eighth on Carlos Cortes’ double, but Jeff McNeil and Austin Wynns each flied out to end the threat.
–Field Level Media
