Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme has a strained right elbow and will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, according to coach John Fox.
Fox said Monday that Delhomme had an MRI that revealed a strain and will not require surgery. However, it's uncertain if Delhomme will play this Sunday when the Panthers host Tampa Bay with first place in the NFC South on the line.
If Delhomme can't go, then David Carr would get the start.
"It's a strained elbow that won't require surgery," Fox said. "It's a rehab situation. I know that you hate hearing this, but he's day-to-day."
Fox did not have an immediate update on linebacker Dan Morgan, who injured his hamstring and heel in Carolina's 27-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Delhomme is off to his best statistical start of his NFL career with eight touchdowns and only one interception. His quarterback rating is 111.9, which is tied for first in the NFC with Dallas' Tony Romo and ranks behind only Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Chad Pennington of the New York Jets in the league.
Delhomme injured his elbow in the third quarter after getting sacked by Falcons defensive end John Abraham. He remained in the game and threw a touchdown to Jeff King to tie it up at 17-17. But on the next series, Delhomme grimaced as he grabbed for his elbow after completing a short pass in the flat to Brad Hoover. He went down on one knee as trainers attended to him.
Delhomme said he tried to play through the pain, but it became too much to bear after the completion to Hoover.
"On the play to Hoover, it was like 'OK, enough trying to be Mr. Macho,' " Delhomme said after the game. "I was going to hurt my team (by staying in the game). I wasn't going to do the right thing."
Delhomme compared the injury to pulling a muscle.
"After I got sacked, it didn't feel good from that point on," Delhomme said. "I was able to make a few throws after that."
Carr relieved Delhomme and three plays later, the Panthers scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 10-yard run by DeShaun Foster. Carr completed all but one of his four pass attempts on Sunday for 56 yards and led the Panthers to two scores and a clock-killing drive.
Carr said after Sunday's game that he's comfortable running the offense if the Panthers need him to start Sunday against Tampa Bay.
"Yeah, I've done it before," said Carr, who has started 75 career games. "And you don't have to do a lot. This team has a lot of talent. If you run the team the way Jake does, I mean he's been putting up great numbers and putting us in position to win football games, the rest of the guys take care of it. It's good to be on a football team like that."