Las Vegas Raiders studs and duds: Derek Carr struggles in Week 5 loss
By Alex Perl
Las Vegas Raiders studs and duds: Derek Carr struggles in Week 5 loss
Duds
Alex Leatherwood
You can move him around the offensive line to any position, and apparently, the results would still be the same. After starting a rather historically bad track of games at right tackle, the Raiders had the wise idea to move rookie tackle, Alex Leatherwood, to guard for this contest, and his consistent bad play continued.
He allowed five pressures and a sack on Sunday and looked out of place just as he has all season. If not for injuries, it would be hard to say Leatherwood is ready to see the field at this point in his career. The Raiders reached when they selected Leatherwood at pick 17, and the pick is being criticized now, just as it was then, the difference is now it’s truly justified.
Derek Carr
The eight-year starter’s season was on pace to be record-breaking. Through his first three games, the ‘captain’ had over 1,200 yards passing and had led the Raiders to a 3-0 start. MVP chatter started prematurely, but it had some merit, as Carr was continuously shredding opposing defenses.
In this matchup, just like the past week in Los Angeles, Carr faltered. He barely reached 200 yards passing and did not throw one touchdown pass against a Bears defense that had it’s best showing all year. A lot of the struggles had to do with the play of the terrible offensive line, but Carr did not do himself any favors by routinely making questionable throws on Sunday.
Will Carr continue to plummet? The question remains to be seen and hopefully, the Raiders can avoid hitting the .500 mark against another AFC West team on the decline in week six in the Denver Broncos.
Josh Jacobs
If you went by fantasy stats or just stats in general. Jacobs would continue to be a dud in every contest. He has been banged up throughout the early season, but in the three games he has started, this terrible performance of 48 yards rushing, was actually his best.
Like Carr before him, his play has truly been affected by the poor play of his offensive line, but whatever the case, the Raiders have had one 100-yard rusher this season, and it was not Jacobs but Peyton Barber.
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The third-year back had a bit of a sophomore slump, but compared to last season, this one is on pace to be by far his worst as a pro. The performance against the Bears was terrible, and so far it looks like, with a shaky offensive line, this will continue to be the story for the Pro Bowl back.