Oakland Raiders Week 9 Stats and Awards
Nov 8, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass under pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats (55) during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 38-35. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive Standouts
Derek Carr: For the 3rd straight week Derek had a standout performance, throwing 4 touchdowns and his first interception since the bye week, giving him 11:1 Touchdown to Int ratio. He’s been playing great, and this week his +5.9 overall comes as the best grade he’s received in his young career.
Carr lead not only the entire Oakland Raiders team with that grade, he was also the highest graded QB in the NFL, and the fifth highest rated player in the entire league regardless of position.
Carr continued to make defenses pay for trying to Blitz him, posting a +5.1 grade and an NFL QB Rating of 116.9 against the Steelers’ blitz. He is also seeing the benefits of having dynamic playmakers in the backfield, as his QB rating on play action is 112.3.
Lee Smith: Lee played a fantastic game. He was involved in the pass game a bit, and continues to be a reliable target for Derek when called upon. In the run game, he’s flourishing as well. He graded out at a team-best +2.7 in Run Block to help his total overall grade of +3.3.
This is the best grade Lee has earned as an Oakland Raider. Smith may not have been the most exciting free agent signing, and when it’s all said and done the national media probably won’t take notice of him, but Smith goes into my book as one of Reggie’s most underrated offseason signings.
Gabe Jackson: The second-year guard continues his Pro Bowl campaign with another great performance, getting a solid +2.2 overall grade. Jackson is a young bright spot on the Offensive line. With Donald Penn playing well, but getting older, Jackson may end up being the longest serving Raider on the O- Line in a year or two. This line is going to depend on him and Hudson for years to come.
Austin Howard: Howard really stepped it up this week after a less than amazing outing against the Jets in week 8. Again, Run Blocking is the key here, a +1.8 Run Block grade contributed to his +2.2 overall. Coming in at number two in Pass Blocking with a +1.0 doesn’t hurt either. Subtract a penalty and Howard could have been pushing a +3 grade.
Next: Week 9 Offensive Ratings