Jon Gruden calls Derek Carr ‘biggest reason’ Raiders could upset Chiefs
By Brad Weiss
Jon Gruden says that the Las Vegas Raiders have a chance for an upset on Sunday, and Derek Carr is the ‘biggest reason’ why.
The Las Vegas Raiders head to Kansas City this weekend, a place that quarterback Derek Carr has never had much success. Las Vegas got off to a fast 2-0 start this season, beating the New Orleans Saints at home in primetime, but have since fallen on hard times.
Still, head coach Jon Gruden is optimistic that the team can win in Kansas City, and his franchise quarterback is why.
Jerry McDonald, a Beat writer for Oakland Tribune/Bay Area Newspaper Group, was told by Gruden that the Raiders have a chance for the upset on Sunday, and Carr is the biggest reason why.
Paul Gutierrez tweeted this out on Wednesday afternoon
Derek Carr is 0-6 at Arrowhead Stadium. @Jerrymcd asks if it's a hill Carr has to climb. "Derek is going to hear it until he does it," said #Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who added that Carr is the Raiders' "biggest reason" they have a shot at the upset at the #KCChiefs.
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) October 7, 2020
Of course, Carr has had documented struggles in Kansas City, but that usually comes late in the season when the weather is extremely cold in Missouri. For the Raiders, this is the earliest they are playing the Chiefs on the road during Carr’s career, and that could also be a factor in the team pulling off the victory.
Ruggs returns to practice
In addition, the Raiders saw Henry Ruggs III return to practice on Wednesday, a sign that he may be ready to go for the team’s AFC West opener. While Gruden would not confirm that Ruggs would go on Sunday, the fact that he was out practicing this early in the week is a great sign for the Silver and Black.
Las Vegas has had to play the past few weeks without both Ruggs, and No.2 wideout Bryan Edwards, a fellow rookie who was placed on injured reserve. The Raiders have dropped two straight, but a win in Kansas City right before the bye would be just what this franchise needs to get back going in the right direction.
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Carr has never won in Arrowhead, but in a season where he is trying to silence his critics, this would be the perfect way to do just that. The Raiders are entering the second quarter of their schedule, and have the talent to make the playoffs, so this will be a huge test on Sunday afternoon.