Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr has one thing left to prove
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has put up terrific numbers since Jon Gruden arrived, and he has one thing left to prove.
The then-Oakland Raiders made Derek Carr their second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, and he earned the starting job right out of the gate. Starting as a rookie in the 2014 NFL season, Carr had a tough first season, as the team went 3-13, but he did end up starting every game.
After a 7-9 second season, Carr had the Raiders on the fast track to a deep run in the playoffs, that was until he broke his leg in Week 16 against the Indianapolis Colts. Since then, he and the Raiders have yet to win again on a consistent level, as he has seen multiple head coaches, coordinators, and teammates come and go.
Carr has remained the constant for the Silver and Black, even after it was rumored every offseason since Jon Gruden came back that he would be moved. Entering 2021, he only has one thing left to prove to the organization and the fans, and that is that he can win more than he loses.
Of course, the record is not an individual stat, but for a franchise starving for a playoff win, and Carr being the common denominator since 2014, the time has come for him to win in the playoffs.
Derek Carr must lead the Raiders to the playoffs and win in 2021
Since Gruden arrived, Carr has not only remained the team’s starting quarterback, but he has put up the best numbers of his career. He already owns nearly every Raiders passing record, and for the most part, has played at a pretty high level.
In fact, looking at his career statistics, and you would think that Carr has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league as of late, he is just lacking in the win column. He has the most fourth-quarter comebacks through a player’s first seven seasons, has an outstanding touchdown-to-interception ratio, and has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes in each of the last three seasons.
However, the big thing that is missing is wins, whether in the regular season or in the playoffs. If Carr can start leading this team to the playoffs on a consistent basis, it will silence a lot of his critics, and that would be a win-win for Raider Nation and No. 4.
All he has left to prove is that he can win, and win often.