Derek Carr will play in the biggest game of his NFL career today, and here is why neither he nor the Las Vegas Raiders will be fazed by the moment.
Many thought that the story of the 2021-2022 Las Vegas Raiders was finished when former head coach Jon Gruden resigned from the team this past October – but Derek Carr and company have said otherwise. When they had every reason to have yet another mediocre or below .500 season, the team clawed back when many pundits thought they were down and out.
The resiliency of this 10-7 squad has earned them a wildcard playoff matchup against the 10-7 Cincinnati Bengals. Few believed that the Silver and Black would be in this position, but when you put the pieces of the puzzle together – this season begins to make sense. Specifically, it starts with their signal-caller.
Raiders Derek Carr has been dreaming of this moment, but he made it a reality this year
After eight long seasons, Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr is in the playoffs. While the team did make the playoffs in 2016, it was rendered void by a terrible Christmas Eve injury that ended Carr’s season. From that point, many questioned whether or not the former Fresno State alum had the mental fortitude to come back from that devastating injury.
The year is 2022, and given the following events on the field that happened, one could question if any quarterback would be able to withstand these blows:
- Jon Gruden’s resignation
- Henry Ruggs III’s departure due to a fatal accident
- An offensive line with three new starters to start the season
- A rushing attack that was inconsistent until December
This is on top of playing in one of the most competitive football divisions. Yet, despite overcoming all these hurdles, Derek’s will to win comes from within. Without him, it is uncertain whether or not the organization is in the playoffs this season. With that being said, some other offensive teammates have also overcome things that allude to the testament of overcoming adversity.