Raiders: Diving into Derek Carr’s 2021 Week 18 performance

Raiders: Diving into Derek Carr’s 2021 Week 18 performance

A deeper dive

He failed to put the ball in the end zone on a 1st & goal set up by a 44-yard Foster Moreau catch-and-run in the first quarter. Then at 3-0 with a 3rd & 12, he overthrew Zay Jones open on the outside that would’ve gone for an easy TD and 10-0 lead.

Andre Roberts for the Chargers fumbled the ensuing punt and set the Raiders up in great field position. Carr got it to 4th down and barely converted to Zay Jones who was graciously awarded forward progress. Hunter Renfrow ran a slick route on Michael Davis and Carr was able to hit him for the touchdown.

Then came the Jalen Richard 3rd & 23 bailout thanks to some awful Chargers run defense.
Another bailout came by way of the zebras on the 2nd & 10 when Carr hurled the ball into the end zone and Chris Harris Jr. got flagged for a PI on the opposite side of the field.

That set the Raiders up at the goal line and Josh Jacobs pounded it home for another TD.
Vegas got another break from the Bolts failing on a 4th & 1 on their own 18 but settled for another field goal.

Then in the third quarter, we got two quality Carr plays. First, he extended a play outside the pocket and found Bryan Edwards on a 3rd & 6. That extension led to another Renfrow touchdown pass-and-catch that Carr placed nicely low enough for only Renfrow to haul in with two defenders right on him.

29-14 was the score at that point in favor of the Raiders.

Justin Herbert went down the field to cut it to 29-22. Then Carr went 3-and-out. Then Herbert came back again to tie the game and send it to overtime as we all know.