Las Vegas Raiders: 3 reasons Derek Carr will be a top-10 QB in 2021

3 of 4

HENDERSON, NEVADA – JULY 28: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a pass during training camp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on July 28, 2021, in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) /

Las Vegas Raiders: 3 reasons Derek Carr will be a top-10 QB in 2021

Carr has an incredible 1-2 punch at running back

Every quarterback, regardless of if they’re Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or even Aaron Rodgers, when they have a running game, they will play better. This year, the Raiders have one of the best young running backs in Josh Jacobs, and some savvy veterans in Kenyan Drake and Bo Scarborough.

While they won’t light up the stat sheet like Christian McCaffrey will, together they can have a good 1,500-1,800 yard season, helping the offense stay balanced. The NFL is a place where the running game matters, and being two-dimensional is a near must. For a team like the Raiders, who have what seems to be an almost entirely new offensive line, taking the pressure off of the line by allowing big bodies like Leatherwood to clobber defensive lineman and linebackers seems like a good idea.

Josh Jacobs is also a one-cut running back, and does his best work on first and second down, leading to better and more manageable third-downs for the Raiders to get. Keeping the Raiders balanced in the running attack is a key to victory for this team this season, and they certainly have a group of players they can lean on, taking even more pressure off Carr.

Home/Derek Carr