Las Vegas Raiders: Studs and Duds from Week 2 vs. Steelers

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Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) gestures on the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. Las Vegas won 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Las Vegas Raiders: Studs and Duds from Week 2 vs. Steelers

Studs: Derek Carr

What can we say about Derek Carr that has not already been said. A week after a 435-yard performance against Baltimore, Carr goes into Pittsburgh and puts up 382 yards and two touchdowns. He did so with no semblance of a rushing attack whatsoever and a mostly backup offensive line against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Carr distributed the ball incredibly evenly with five receivers having exactly five receptions and four other receivers having at least one catch. The veteran quarterback continues to grow in this offense and as we said last year it is clear that he is in complete control of this unit.

The biggest play of the game is one that Car gets unfairly criticized for not doing it often enough and that is throwing deep. With the Raiders leading by just two points in the fourth quarter, Derek Carr stepped up in the face of the blitz and hit Ruggs in stride for a 61-yard touchdown.

It was a spectacular throw from a spectacular player who is playing some of the best football of his career. The hope is that the Raiders will begin to fix their issues in the running game so they don’t depend on Carr’s heroics every week but in the meantime, he is more than comfortable putting the team on his back and carrying them to victory.

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