Las Vegas Raiders Derek Carr Getting Respect He's Earned
Henderson, Nev.--Derek Carr was not at fault for the failed Antonio Brown experiment with the then Oakland Raiders last year. In truth, it wasn't the fault of Mike Mayock or Jon Gruden, either.
It was Carr who took the most and, in the opinion of this writer, unfair criticism for a wide receiver unit that hamstrung his team. Off-season skeptics and naysayers who make a living criticizing people while never having competed at anything wondered if Carr would make the move to Las Vegas. It got clicks, but it wasn't real.
Now we are seeing that despite the fog of the critic's ignorance, Carr will lead the Las Vegas Raiders into 2020, and with a rebuilt receiving corps, he will be able to shine. With a less than stellar support cast, Carr has been excellent. That in itself is a statement of how talented he is. With a solid support cast, Carr should be able to prove why he is elite. Something I firmly believe.
Nick Shook from NFL.com recently ranked Carr as his third-best signal-caller under pressure, and unlike critics, he had fact to back in up. In part Shook said, "A "heck of a player" in the eyes of Raiders Coach Jon Gruden, Carr demonstrated skill under pressure in 2019, posting the third-best passer rating in such situations in 2019.
Carr's completion percentage of 66.7 under pressure was the best of any qualifying quarterback in the entire NFL in 2019, and his completion percentage above expectation of +5.9 further emphasizes how effective he was under duress. A big reason for his achievement under pressure: Carr targeted open receivers often, doing so at a rate of 56.9 percent." You can read the entire article when you click right here.
The Raiders didn't need to panic, the brain trust in charge understood the real issues, and they fixed them. That is why the hottest show on the strip in 2020 won't be in a casino, but it will be at Allegiant Stadium and led by Derek Carr.
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