Sep 14, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass before the start of the game against the Houston Texans at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
When the Oakland Raiders drafted Derek Carr in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft I was one of the few to openly question this move from the get go. Derek Carr was a player who exemplified the phrase “the sky’s the limit”, but Carr was not without his flaws. Carr had fantastic numbers in Fresno State, but he had poor mechanics, and often struggled with pressure. So, when the Raiders drafted Carr over “safer” talents like Ra’Shede Hageman, Jordan Matthews, and Kony Ealy I was utterly disappointed not because Carr was a bad pick, but because it did not seem like the best pick. However, Carr has shocked from Day 1 by conducting himself in a manner that made him a leader among his teammates, Carr has worked tirelessly to fix his mechanics, and Carr has improved drastically.
Then came the preseason and in week one Schuab fell flat. To be frank Schuab was a shadow of himself, visibly lacking the confidence to take shots down the field. Further, it seemed like every time Schuab threw the ball it was a check down completion to the running back. On the other hand Carr seemed to get the engine going every time he stepped into the huddle you could see the team playing with a certain edge. Carr revitalized the Raiders offense and provided hope to a franchise at arguably its most important position.
In Week 4 Carr coming off of a concussion lead the Raiders to an impressive win despite facing the NFL’s top defense. As a result Carr ended earning the starting job. Now jump to week 3 of the regular season with the Raiders coming off of two disappointing losses and do not lose hope. I know I may have had my doubts about Carr, but he’s proved all of those doubts wrong.
Bottom line is the Raiders finally have a quarterback and his name is Derek Carr. Carr is not the only new player that has proven that he can be an impact player for the Raiders young talents like Latavius Murray, Sio Moore, Khalil Mack, TJ Carrie, and finally Keith McGill are all players that have flashed potential.