Oakland Raiders Week 17 X-Factors against the Denver Broncos
By Matt Holder
Derek Carr
Quite possibly the most polarizing player in the NFL is Derek Carr. Raider Nation is divided when it comes to his future with the team and with conflicting reports, it appears as if some of the decision-makers within the organization share the same uncertainty. Part of the reason many doubt the gunslinger’s franchise quarterback status is his performance in cold weather.
When the temperature dips below 50 degrees, Carr has a career passer rating of 65.9 and has lost his last nine contests in those conditions. The weather forecast calls for a high of 37 degrees in Denver on Sunday so he will need to buck this trend.
As is the case with just about every quarterback, the Raiders’ offensive success is directly correlated with Carr’s play. Last week is a perfect example as the quarterback completed 87 percent of his passes for 291 yards and had two touchdowns (one rushing), leading to the team’s highest-scoring performance since Week nine. Carr had a lot of success against the Broncos in Week one and the time has come for him to prove cold weather narrative wrong.
Otherwise, Oakland’s playoff chances will disappear and the six-year starter might be looking for a new team in March.