5 Oakland Raiders who helped themselves vs. Tennessee Titans
The Oakland Raiders opened up their season with a big win on the road against the Tennessee Titans. They emerged victorious 26-16. Here are the five players who helped themselves the most.
Expectations are very high for the Oakland Raiders coming into the 2017 NFL season after finishing 12-4 last season. With the Super Bowl in their sights, the Raiders need players to really step up this season and take the team to another level.
Several players had very good games, take Amari Cooper for example. He finished the game with 62 yards and a touchdown, but he didn’t help himself because that is what is expected of him. It is the younger guys or those making comebacks that really helped themselves this week.
These five players did a lot for themselves, and the team as a whole, en route to their victory. It starts at the top with the leader of the team, Derek Carr, playing in his first regular season game since breaking his leg.
5. Derek Carr
Anyone who watched the Raiders last season realize how vital Carr is to the Raiders. He, realistically, is the Raiders. Without Carr the Raiders would be nothing, and they showed just that by giving him $25 million a season to sling the rock. Coming off of a heartbreaking end to the 2016 season in which he broke his leg, Carr was clearly fired up to be back on the field.
He came out guns a-blazing, leading the Raiders to a touchdown on their first drive of the game. It wasn’t so much of a worry that Carr would be able to come back, it was expected that he would make a full recovery. It was more a question of how he would look in his first meaningful game back.
Carr finished the game with 262 yards passing and two touchdowns, and looked like the guy who was firmly in the MVP race last season. Carr needed to come out and shake off the cobwebs, he did that and more with his performance.
There is no doubt he is the leader of the team, both on and off the field. He is the heart and soul of the team, and its very apparent. He needed to get the ball rolling on this season with a good performance, and he did just that.
Carr helped himself the most with building confidence. It is always tough to come back from injury, and it takes a while to build the confidence back up. With the good game he had against the Titans, there is no question he has his swagger back.