Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has one of the quicker releases in all of football, and he will need to utilize that skill on Sunday against a tough Bears defense.
The Oakland Raiders head across the pond in Week 5, as they take on the Chicago Bears in another matchup where they are the big underdog. Last week, the Raiders shocked the NFL landscape by going into Indianapolis and dominating the Colts, thanks to solid play from the defense, running back Josh Jacobs, and veteran quarterback Derek Carr.
This Sunday, the Raiders will have to lean on that trio once again, as they are playing one of the better teams in the NFC in the Bears. Carr is off to a solid start to the 2019 campaign, connecting on six touchdowns against three interceptions, and is fresh off a clean start against a short-handed Colts defense in Week 4.
Carr is excellent at making quick decisions, and getting the ball out of his hand in a hurry, a skill he is going to need against the Bears.
Heading into Week 5, Carr has the fourth-fastest snap to release time in the NFL, sitting just around 2.5 seconds. If the Bears can dial up the right pass rush against a Raiders offensive line that has struggled at times this season, he will certainly need to be quick, and accurate this Sunday.
While many have criticized Carr’s quick release, stating that he is “Captain Checkdown,” it is actually a skill that has worked to his benefit at the NFL level. He has played behind some shoddy offensive lines through his six seasons in the league, and for the most part, has remained durable outside of a broken leg, and back in 2016 and 2017.
The Bears will be the toughest pass rush he has faced this season, led by former Oakland Raiders generational talent, Khalil Mack. You can expect the Bears to have Mack all over the field on Sunday, looking for ways he can get to Carr, and the Raiders better be prepared to chip him with running backs all game long.
It will sure be fun to see Carr taking on his old buddy in Mack, but that is only if the Raiders are keeping this a competitive game. If the sixth-year quarterback finds himself under duress all afternoon, and is constantly picking himself off the ground, it could be a very long Sunday in London for the Silver and Black.