Las Vegas Raiders: Is Derek Carr finally getting deserved respect?
With the Las Vegas Raiders off to a 3-0 start spearheaded by quarterback Derek Carr, is he finally getting the respect he deserves?
Oh, how things change over the course of a few months. Seven months ago, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was the focal point of trade rumors this offseason, insinuating that the Raiders were looking for an “upgrade” at quarterback. Fast forward to the start of Week 4 this season, and Derek Carr is a legitimate candidate for the NFL’s MVP.
Carr is out to a fantastic start to the season. Through Week 3, Carr is first in the NFL in passing yards and second in attempts and completions. He leads all quarterbacks in 20+ yard throws, and in passing grade on those throws at 96.2, per PFF (subscription required).
The Raiders signal-caller also has the third-most passing yards through three games in NFL history and is the fourth player in NFL history to have at least 325 passing yards in five consecutive games.
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Even when defensive pressure gets to Carr, he continues to produce. He is the 11th-highest-graded quarterback when under pressure. He also has the fifth-highest grade when kept clean and when given less than 2.5 seconds to throw, per PFF (subscription required).
It’s early, but Carr is in the top-15 for completion percentage above expectation once again (the fifth time in six years). To be frank, it’s harder to find what he isn’t doing well this season. The only thing detractors have been able to point to this season is Carr’s (and the entire Las Vegas Raiders team) slow start to games. But even then, his second half heroics have completely shut down those crticisms.
Head coach Jon Gruden’s offense has been notorious for its difficulty. It often takes players an extended amount of time to grasp the concepts and adjust accordingly. Derek Carr is now completely in the driver’s seat of this offense and is a true extension of Gruden on the field.
This understanding has seemingly made Carr a better quarterback at the pre and post-snap as well. He’s identifying the MIKE linebacker quicker and adjusting the play accordingly to give his offense the best chance for success. It’s an underrated aspect of quarterback play that gets ignored by the casual viewer, but Carr has excelled at it this season.
It’s early, but as a Raiders fan you have to like what you’ve seen from Derek Carr and this Raiders offense.
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In Week 4, Carr and the Raiders travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers in a huge divisional matchup; one in which over 70 percent of the crowd is expected to be Raider fans. If Carr can once again carve out a masterful performance, his legend will continue to grow.