Las Vegas Raiders Derek Carr Week 11 Update

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves entering their Week 11 game against the Denver Broncos with a disappointing 2-7 record.

The season is in shambles, and the Silver and Black are simply looking forward to having anything good to celebrate.

The Silver and Black's Derek Carr spoke about his team and moving forward.

You can watch the entire press conference below, and read the transcript:

Quarterback Derek Carr

Q: After the game you said everybody wasn't on the same page in terms of the locker room and you said you addressed that as team leaders. Is it also on the coaching staff to address issues like that as well?

Carr: “Well, when we're in the locker room, in certain areas, there's no coaches. And certain things that were said, were said, addressed and handled like men. I'm proud of the way we handled it, honestly. And what you saw from me was just frustration from some of the things that had to be addressed. I didn't think they had to be addressed, but we did. I know everyone wants to ask about that because I was very upset, obviously. But I'm going to do my best to just move on to the next game. But to answer the questions, it was addressed, but no coaches were around where we were when that happened."

Q: Do you feel like the buy in for the coach is there? Is there anything in particular that you’re upset about when guys aren't out there playing right now that should be out there playing right now?

Carr: "No. When it comes to injuries, I've been through injuries, and there's some that you can play through, there's some that you can't do anything about. I was not talking about anybody like that, for sure. And for our coach, we love Josh [McDaniels]. Me and Tae [Davante Adams] have meetings with him all the time, and we had another great one today. I fully believe in the plan because he shows us. My point is, what is being mad at the coaches going to do? You know what I'm saying? Is that really what we want to do for another 20 years? Keep doing a cycle like that? They know what they're doing. They've had success. As players, we're fully bought in because we're like: 'Man, we believe in it.' We just all want to be a part of it. And so, to answer that part of it, my feeling is we all love Josh. We love everything that he brings, everything the staff has brought. And really, we just are focused on playing better. Everybody, every man in there, we all took turns in the game. You watch the film, like: ‘Oh, I could've done that.’ It’s probably stuff that people don't even notice, but like: 'Man, if I do that more consistently, it’ll lead to some wins for the team.' And everyone took that mindset. And so, the proof is when he shows it to us and you're like: 'Coach, you're right. We got do that better.' You don't want to ever use certain words, but anytime that we've had a new coach and you've got to start over and do certain things, we're a lot closer to being where we want to be than what it feels like right now."

Q: Has the competitive nature of these games lead you to that conclusion?

Carr: "I mean, those games are going to happen. But yeah, I mean, we're right there. We're in them. Last year, think about how many close games there were. We pulled them out, yeah, we won them, whatever. But there were still things that needed to be addressed. There were still things where we could do better. And if one or two plays in those games goes the other way, it's a totally different feeling. And so, sometimes we've just got to take a breath and just play. There's so much pressure on the expectation and all that kind of stuff sometimes for some people. My job is, I've just been trying to help guys be more free this week. Just be free to be you and play football. And I think that when we're freer, we play better, and hopefully we can do that this week."

Q: Having said all that, last year you guys were 10-7 and in the playoffs. Right now, you're 2-7 -- the season's not over, there are still eight games to go. But you were a playoff team, you're 2-7 now. It's an open-ended question, what's happened?

Carr: “It's hard. You've got to think about schematically; the schemes are different, right? So, you're taking different players, putting them in different schemes. We had to get new players for certain schemes and things like that. As much as we want compare, there's a lot of carry over because these coaches thought we could fit their schemes, right? From leaders and things like that. And we play well for them and we're doing those things better. But some of the key role-players and things like that, it's different. And so, this is just a different team. We have the same attitude. We have the same mindset. We're just trying to make it all come together right now. And sometimes it takes more time than you want to. It definitely takes more time than anyone on the outside wants it to because it's NFL. It's like: 'What can you do for me right now?' But I think what owner said it best -- it's not built in just one day. It really isn't. And what his belief is, and what Josh [McDaniels] and Dave’s [Ziegler] belief is. There's no denying their success. There's no denying what they've been able to do. (McDaniels) is not in here beating us over the head every day, or anything like that. He's super positive, he's encouraging, but he corrects us, and he's disciplined and all the things that you would love in a coach. And so, we feel good about it going forward, but I think it's just two different teams if that makes sense."

Q: Is that surprising to you then because you were a playoff team, and then there was the change, and it's taken a while to get going?

Carr: "For me, I've done it. I'm not saying this to offend anybody, but like I've done it so many times that it's different every time. There's carry over and sometimes a coach is like: 'Oh, yeah, that works,' or 'Hey, we'll see you next year.' Different pieces, all that kind of stuff and all that. But for the time being right now, our expectation was so high because of what we went through. Because we're human, we experienced that. They've experienced so much more success than just that. And so, our expectation will never change. And so, as a human, yeah, there's frustration. Yeah, there's that. But there's no belief that we can't do it, or we can't get it right, things like that."

Q: I asked Josh McDaniels this morning about being 0-6 in one score games. But when you get frustrated in that, is there also an ability to be optimistic because you were a few plays away that can flip it?

Carr: “Yeah, absolutely. I think that's really been a good message for our team, especially for some of the guys that haven't been through some of this kind of stuff -- they haven't changed schemes much, or maybe they're new players, younger players -- that ‘Guys, we’re right there.’ It doesn't matter, like it doesn't count for anything. But what it does show us is, it's not like we're some terrible football team that has no chance every time we go out there. Every time we've been out there, except for the Saints game, we all felt like we had a chance to win and we're putting ourselves in position. And so, we're all buying in not only to schemes, but philosophies on how to play the game. And everyone is learning that, and I think that we want it to happen right now. And we are working on making it happen right now. It just hasn't happened as fast as we want it to. But in our mind, there's no doubt that if we keep working that we could do that.”

Q: I think last week we talked to you a day before you guys added both Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow to the injured reserve list. I mean, just what was the emotion there? How disappointing was that with two guys that were going to be a big part of the offense?

Carr: “Yeah, that's hard. I said it last year all the time, nobody cares. You still got to go out there and win football games. And so, we count on those guys to have big goals for us and things like that. But the fact they're not there it’s hard as a quarterback making decisions and all that kind of stuff. For game planners, putting plans together and all that, but at some point, it’ll be nice to see what it would look like.”

Q: You've been through a lot of different head coach regimes, a bunch of different play callers. After last season and having that success, was it a process for you to kind of buy into having to go through another change yet again, even though you kind of feel like you had a breakthrough last season?

Carr: “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, even like in my career, even when Jack [Del Rio] was here. Like we went to the playoffs, were one of the best teams in football. Obviously, I broke my leg, but we felt like we were rolling and then next year isn't as good and then he's gone. ‘Golly! Like that?’ And then obviously we got better with Gru [Jon Gruden] and then Rich [Bisaccia] steps in and we go to playoffs and you're feeling good about it, and then: ‘Oh, we changed it again.’ As a human being, that’s hard. I think you all felt like just really my passion, my love for this place. I just try to be (even-keeled) like all the time, but I love this place so much that I want it to just go well all the time. And when that keeps happening as a human, it's frustrating. You know, it's hard. But what are you going to do? I'm not going to quit. I'm not going to give up, you know me. I'm not going to give up on anything, like we still have work to do, but the cool thing is, I can see what it could look like. I've seen what it can look like when Josh [McDaniels] corrects us and shows us like, if we do it like this: ‘Oh yeah, that's awesome. It's new, boom, you're getting better, you're working on it.’ And if we're all doing that, which I believe we all are now, like, as we do that, we'll be a better football team. So, that's what gives me hope. That's what gives me the fight, like we're going to be just fine.”

Q: With all the whispers and the rumors about Josh's job security, but then Mark Davis coming out this week and giving him that vote of confidence, does that let you guys just kind of exhale and say like: ‘Let's just play football?’

Carr: “It really did. Just being here for nine years and everything that we've all seen and been through and some tragedies and all the stuff, right? I'm so happy to hear that Mr. Davis feels that way. I'm so happy that he loves Josh, he loves Dave [Ziegler] and he believes in them. It kind of just gave us a breath like: ‘Yes, let's just get better. Let's work on being a better football team. Let's go try win all these games. Let's go and try and do all that, of course, but let's just be a better football team.’ And it kind of just let us know, trust that process. Well, there is a process, and we do have time during the season right now that we know who our leader is and we know that we're rolling, and that gives us confidence as a football team. So, absolutely when he came out and did that; like thank goodness, that kind of thing.”

The Raiders return to action o Sunday when they head to Denver to take on the Broncos. That game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST. You can see that game on FOX.

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