The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Indianapolis Colts with their playoff lives at stake, and it could be ultimate redemption for Derek Carr.
Christmas Eve is supposed to be a joyous occasion for those who celebrate, but for those Raiders fans who do celebrate that Christmas season, 2016 was less than joyful. During Christmas Eve night, with a win against the Indianapolis Colts wrapped up, star quarterback Derek Carr broke his leg, ending the Raiders Super Bowl aspirations.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr had made a steady climb to becoming a star, racking up Pro Bowl nods, and leading the franchise out of the cellar of the AFC West. He had led his team to an 11-3 record heading into this AFC matchup, and the game was decided when his leg snapped underneath a pile of players.
From there, the Raiders would go on to win the game, but that was the end of their Super Bowl run. They would end up having to start Connor Cook in the Wild Card game, a game they easily lost to the Houston Texans, and for the franchise, they never would get back to the kind of success they had that season.
For Carr, Sunday in Indianapolis is a chance to erase the nightmare that was Christmas Eve in 2016.
Raiders need to win Sunday to stay alive
Things have not been the same for Carr, or the Raiders since that fateful night, as they fired their head coach the following season, and brought in Jon Gruden to try and bring stability to the franchise. He has since resigned his post, and the Raiders have faltered down the stretch the last two seasons, and are hoping to avoid a third straight season of the same fate.
Carr has had success, statistically, but still has never played in a playoff game in eight seasons as the starting quarterback. Sunday is a chance to not only get closer to erasing that fact but doing so against the same Colts team that ended his last legitimate shot to do so five years ago.
Las Vegas Raiders defense is the foundation for the future
The Las Vegas Raiders may get a lot of press due to quarterback Derek Carr, but it is the defense that is the foundation for the future.
For the Raiders, the goal is simple on Sunday, and that is to win the game, and get ready for a home matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Carr has been through a lot during his NFL career, including that terrible break on Christmas Eve, but he can change a lot of the narrative surrounding him with a resounding victory on the road in Week 17.