Seemingly moments away from taking his first regular-season snap since January on Sunday night, David Carr heard Mike Johnson’s voice in his headset. As Carr stepped onto the field, the Niners offensive coordinator told him, “Hold up, dude.”
With that, Alex Smith came back on the field and Carr retreated back to the bench.
“I was just told to warm up,” Carr said. “Sing asked if I was ready, I
said, ‘Yeah.’ I just went to warm up, talked to coach Johnson on the
phone, we were just getting ready for the next series and then I went to
go back out and Alex went back out so it was no big deal. Honestly for
me, I didn’t care who went in the game, I just wanted to win. I feel the
same way as anyone else in this locker room, I just want to get a W.
When you’re 0-5 you don’t care who’s on the field, you just want to find
a way to get a W.”
Carr, a former No. 1 overall pick out of Fresno State, was the starter
for five years in Houston and has been a backup for three different
teams in the past four seasons. Like Smith, he’s endured his share of
criticism and he seemed unfazed by his role in the sideline drama Sunday
night.
“This is the life,” Carr said. “Nine years, nothing surprises me,
honestly. I’ve seen everything. Last night might have been surreal or
different for some people but I’ve been in situations like that on both
sides.”
Well, OK, maybe one thing surprised him Sunday night. Labeled a bust in
Houston, Carr, whose brother, Derek, is a quarterback at Fresno State,
did confess that those chants – “We want, Carr!” – were unique.
“No, that’s a first,” Carr said. “Maybe at home in Fresno I get that
every once in awhile, but I don’t know if they’re talking about me or my
brother now.”
• How do the Niners solve their turnover problems? How about watching
“Hard Knocks” from this past season? The Jets, whose training camp was
chronicled in the recent HBO series, tied an NFL record Monday night
with their fourth straight game without a turnover. During the same
span, the 49ers have committed 13 turnovers.
• Just to underscore Smith’s point about how his cautious approach
hasn’t translated into fewer turnovers, here’s a look at how far from
the line of scrimmage his nine interceptions have traveled this season: 8
yards, 10 yards, 1 yard, 12 yards, 1 yard, 1 yard, 8 yards, 44 yards,
20 yards.
• Sportsbook.com has released its odds on the first NFL coach to get
fired. Will Singletary and John Fox make it to their head-to-head
meeting on Oct. 24 at Carolina? Who knew the Niners’ season would have
such drama?
John Fox, Panthers: 5-2
Wade Phillips, Cowboys: 3-1
Chan Gailey, Bills: 3-1
Mike Singletary, 49ers: 7-2
Marvin Lewis, Bengals: 9-2
Eric Mangini, Browns: 5-1
Tom Cable, Raiders: 5-1
Jack Del Rio, Jaguars: 8-1
Jim Schwartz, Lions: 10-1
Andy Reid, Eagles: 10-1
Comments are closed.