For Openers, Carr Has Been a Pretty Good Closer
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Quarterback Derek Carr is making his ninth consecutive start in a season opener for the team now known as the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday against the longtime AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Based on Carr’s record in those previous openers, Raider Nation should have a positive attitude heading into this game.
The 6-3, 210-pound Carr, was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State and stepped right into the starting lineup, but the Silver and Black lost the first two openers he started.
Even though Carr passed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in his pro debut, the New York Jets pulled out a 19-14 victory in the 2014 opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and the Cincinnati Bengals routed the Raiders, 33-14, at the Oakland Coliseum the next year as Carr struggled with only 61 yards passing and was benched in favor Matt McGloin, who threw for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
However, the Raiders are 5-1 in the last six openers Carr has started.
“I’m just excited to start the season,” said Carr, who will have wide receiver Davante Adams, his college teammate at Fresno State, with him this time after the Raiders obtained perhaps the best wideout in the NFL from the Green Bay Packers during the off-season.
“Whatever we do in the first game, we’re gonna go watch film, make corrections, and try and get better as the year goes. There’s no certain expectation, we just expect to play good football, sound football. It’s gonna be the first time people see (Adams and Carr) do it together in the NFL.
“But for us, we’ve been doing this for the last 13 years. Whether it was in college, or (training) together in the Bay Area, (and) doing it for months here at the facility. To us, it’s back to normal. But I think for everyone else, it’s the excitement. ... I’m sure I’ll throw him the ball and he’ll get a catch or whatever and everyone will be like, ‘Oh my gosh, here we go.’
“To us, it’ll just be the next play.”
In 2016, Carr threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Seth Roberts with 47 seconds left in the game to give the Raiders a 35-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints to open the season at the New Orleans Superdome, even though Drew Brees passed for 423 yards and four scoring passes for the Saints. Carr led the Raiders to a 12-4 record before sustaining a broken leg late in the season that knocked him out for the Silver and Black’s playoff loss.
The following year, Carr completed 22-of-32 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns, including a 19-yard scoring pass to Roberts in the fourth quarter that powered the Raiders to a 26-16 opening victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
In 2019, Carr was nearly flawless while completing 22-of-26 passes for 259 yards and an eight-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Tyrell Williams to open the scoring in a 24-16 victory over the Denver Broncos to start the season at the Oakland Coliseum.
After the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020, Carr completed 22-of-30 passes for 239 yards and a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver Nelson Agholor, driving the Silver and Black 75 yards to a six-yard scoring run by rookie Josh Jacobs with 4:21 left for a 34-30 victory over the Carolina Panthers in the opener at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Last season, Carr completed 34-of-56 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns, including a 31-yard score to wide receiver Zay Jones with 3:38 remaining in overtime to give the Raiders a 33-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the opener at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. That started the Raiders toward a 10-7 record and a trip to the playoffs.
The only opener the Raiders lost in the last six seasons came in 2018, when Carr completed 29-of-40 passes for 303 yards, but threw three interceptions in a 33-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
If Carr can keep the ball in the hands of Adams and the rest of the receivers, the Raiders should again have a good chance to open this season with a victory on Sunday.
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