Las Vegas Raiders: Top 5 moments from the Derek Carr Era
By Jason Willis
Las Vegas Raiders: Top 5 moments from the Derek Carr Era
His Most Iconic Win
To say the 2021 season was difficult on the Raiders would be a massive understatement. After starting the year 3-0, head coach Jon Gruden would step away from the team following the release of several offensive e-mails. Then, a few weeks later, second-year wide receiver Henry Ruggs would be involved in a car accident that left a woman dead and caused the team to release him. Fellow first-rounder Damon Arnette would soon follow him out the door.
With an interim head coach, two first-round picks released due to off-field issues, and an injury to Darren Waller, no one would blame the Raiders for giving up on the season. After all, at 6-7, most of the NFL had written them off anyway.
Instead, Las Vegas would go on to win their next three games in a row in a miraculous fashion. At 9-7, the stage was set for a home match-up with the Chargers where the winner would move on to the playoffs, and the loser would go home.
In front of a packed Allegiant Stadium, Carr would do what he does best, lead the team down the field in overtime. Following a big throw to Zay Jones and some clutch runs from Josh Jacobs, the offense was in position for a game-winning field goal.
After a game that took years off the lives of both fanbases, Carr couldn’t help but smirk as he called a timeout with one second on the clock and gave wy for Daniel Carlson to send the Raiders to the playoffs.
While the Raiders would lose the only playoff game Carr has ever played in, this game will go down in Raiders history. A tightly fought battle from both sides, but in the end, Carr was able to put the team in a position to win when it mattered most.