Answering Your Las Vegas Raiders Questions

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders played a very good Los Angeles Chargers team to open the season and lost.

It was not losing to a good team on the road that disappointed fans, as much as the three interceptions and five sacks.

The Raider Nation had a lot of questions about the state of their Silver and Black, so let's get right to your emails and questions:

Hondo, the Raiders looked awful. Time to bench Carr and play Stidham. What a joke. I am so depressed. --Kari V.

Kari, take a deep breath. The game for fans was disappointing, and I believe for the team as well. But, this is a long season, with a very talented roster, and exceptional coaching staff. While I don't blame you for the disappointment, don't overreact and call them awful, and call for the backup QB.

Hondo, I was really impressed with Davante Adams. I was not impressed with Derek Carr. How much of Carr's struggles had to do with not playing in the preseason? --Dan C. Tempe, AZ

Dan, I was also impressed with Davante. Derek certainly didn't have a good game either. I think many things go into that, I can't help but think not having any live-action in games hurt him. With that said, how much would he have really played? I am not trying to be evasive, I am trying to be fair.

Derek Carr said of his performance, “We did too many good things, and I was way too aggressive. We came in with an aggressive mindset, especially with all the weapons that we have. That’s on me, the decisions to be too aggressive in certain moments. To [Davante Adams] in the end zone, he beat his guy and the guy when I threw it, just fell off, and that kind of crap is going to happen sometimes. I could have made a better throw maybe, just be better there, but I think we showed signs of doing some stuff really well. It’s on me when I’m trying to be too aggressive and force it to [tight end Darren] Waller down the middle. Trying to bomb it to [Adams], or just trying to jam it into him to get a couple of extra yards. I mean, just throw it away. That is the type of stuff I will learn from and just need be better for our team.”

Hondo do you think people will ever get off Derek Carr's back and give him the credit he deserves? --Chris N.

People will get off Derek's back rightfully or wrongly when he wins more. There are some people that don't like Derek for various reasons, and some that could care less who the QB is as long as he wins. I have made it clear that I think he is a very good QB, but wins will win the accolade of the fiercest critics.

Hondo, what does Josh McDaniels think of Derek Carr's performance? What did he tell you? --Thank you, Carlos R. Detroit, MI

Here is exactly what he said: “We had a couple of opportunities. I thought [CB Asante] Samuel [Jr.] made a great play on the deep one there in the second half. We put a little too much air on the one to [LB Drue] Tranquill. Give them credit. They were sticking to their coverages. I thought there were a lot of good plays. Derek was the big reason why we had an opportunity to win at the end. We will look at all three interceptions and see what we could have done better to lessen their chance to touch the football.”

Hondo, if you could ask Derek Carr about the performance of Davante Adams I would appreciate it. --Nathan D. LA, CA

Derek talked about Davante's performance after the game. “We did some good things. There are some things him and I were just talking about in the locker room. We had some production, but I think we can be better and so does he. It is exciting to get out there and play with him and have him in the mix of [wide receiver] Hunter [Renfrow], Darren [Waller] and the backs, and all those guys. I mean, first play I go right to him and it wasn’t like some big celebration. It was like: ‘Alright cool, next one.’ You know, I’ve thrown thousands of footballs in my life. It’s exciting to play with him, but he will tell you that he just wants to win. We will turn the film on and I will be better about being too aggressive in situations when I don’t have to; that’s what it really came down to."

Hondo any reason to panic? I know it’s week 1 but seeing Adams have that many targets compared to other receivers makes me worried Carr will continue to force it. Thoughts?
— NWO4Lyfe (@NWO4Lyfe91) September 12, 2022

Hondo any reason to panic? I know it’s week 1 but seeing Adams have that many targets compared to other receivers makes me worried Carr will continue to force it. Thoughts? --Andrew Nefstead

In the last two years, people panicked early, and in both years I held to my prediction and was correct. This was Week 1. This was a game I thought the Raiders would win, and they didn't. That doesn't mean they won't go win a game I thought they wouldn't. There is ZERO reasons to panic The Raiders will be fine.

The Las Vegas Raiders (0-1) kickoff at home inside Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, facing the Arizona Cardinals (0-1) at 1:25 PM PT.

Do you have any Raiders questions? Send them to me at SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com and put in the subject line Raiders Q/A.

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