Stats do not always tell the whole story, but for Derek Carr, he is excelling in a few particular areas that have led to the Las Vegas Raiders’ 5-2 start.
The Las Vegas Raiders entered this bye week at 5-2 and the top of the AFC West. The team has not allowed the Jon Gruden drama to affect their play on the field and has displayed a level of mental toughness that needs to be recognized.
One player, in particular, has displayed a level of mental fortitude and tremendous play that has defined the Raiders team. And that is quarterback Derek Carr.
Carr has had his fair share of doubters over the years (me included), but he has continued to improve in the past few seasons. Now in 2021, Carr is firmly a top-10 quarterback and has this team somewhat playing above its head. The roster is certainly not perfect, but Carr is overcoming those deficiencies, and that is not always something we saw in the past.
So what is the reason for this 2021 season?
There are so many things, but here are a few areas that Carr has been great in this season, leading to this hot start.