Derek Carr failed the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022
By Jason Willis
Derek Carr failed the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022
The Failures
Of course, things did not go as planned for the Raiders in 2022. Currently 6-9, they have lost an unbelievable eight of those games by one score. On the edge of a playoff spot, the team is just a few plays away from having one secured. Alas, that is not how the NFL works, and there is a myriad of reasons why Las Vegas has struggled in 2022.
One of the biggest reasons is the play of Derek Carr. Simply, it has not been to the level that the team has needed it to be all season. A great example of this is last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Raiders’ playoff hopes already slim, the team was in dire need of a win. This made a three-interception game from Carr even more heartbreaking.
The last of which was especially bad as he completely airmailed a wide-open Renfrow over the middle of the field.
Unfortunately, this is not the only time this has happened. In fact, Carr has routinely been out of sync with his receivers and many early season losses can be attributed to the big plays that were left on the field by the offense.
These two plays are a pretty good microcosm of the Raiders' offense so far this season. The first play is a second and seven where Carr has Adams staring right at him for the first down but decides against it. Next, Waller is wide open for a big gain and they can't hook up. pic.twitter.com/1BAHsG40Xx
— Jason Willis (@_JasonWillis) September 26, 2022
Obviously, as is always the case with sports, the failed season is not entirely on Carr. Injuries have been a factor as well as coaching mishaps and a terrible defense. However, the point still rings true. With one of the most talented offensive teams in Raiders history, the team needed the best version of Carr. Instead, in the face of pressure, he crumbled and was unable to return Las Vegas to the playoffs.