Getty Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr and Chicago Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack.
Despite losing their most talented player a few days before the season started, the Oakland Raiders were able to pull off a win against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. It was an impressive performance by both the offense and defense after a week riddled with adversity. One of the most impressive performers was quarterback Derek Carr, who was locked in from the first drive.
The veteran quarterback completed 22 of 26 passes, threw for 259 yards and hit Tyrell Williams for his only touchdown. His performance was made more impressive by the fact that he did it against a stout Broncos defense and he just lost his best receiver a few days before the game. Carr has stayed pretty quiet on the Antonio Brown controversy, but he finally had a chance to talk about it after the win.
Derek Carr Addresses Antonio Brown Saga
It had been assumed that Antonio Brown and Derek Carr had some sort of falling out based on the fact that the wide receiver seemed to have thrown shade at the quarterback on social media. However, Carr doesn’t hold anything against Brown.
“I love AB. He knows that,” said Carr after Monday’s game. “I spent lots of time with him. I can go on, but he’s not here. He’s with someone else, and I wish him the best. I hope he goes off, and gets everything he wants. I sent him a text saying that.
“There’s no hurt feelings. There’s no anger in me. There wasn’t any anger in me when I found out, to he honest with you, despite what people wrote. Some people saw me right after and thought I was mad about that, when [PR staffer Evert Geerlings] will tell you we were talking about something totally different. Again, when you don’t have all the details and you just write something about me, I don’t like that.”
Based on Brown’s behavior after the release from the Raiders, he probably won’t have such nice things to say about his time spent in Oakland. Carr and the team welcomed him with open arms, but that still wasn’t good enough for him. Carr went on to say:
”He’s gone. I wish him the best.”
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Derek Carr Compares Khalil Mack Trade to Antonio Brown Saga
While the circumstances are very different, it’s hard to forget about the fact that the Raiders lost their best player just before the start of the regular season two years in a row. Last year, Khalil Mack was traded because the team couldn’t agree on a contract extension with the defensive end. What makes that situation different to the Brown one was that Mack was actually liked by the team. Carr had a chance to compare the moves.
“It wasn’t the same feeling as when Khalil [Mack] got traded,” Carr said. “It was not the same feeling. [With Brown gone], at least the questions are done. At least we have answers.”
Mack wasn’t disruptive at all. By most accounts, he was as good a teammate as one could have. His loss set a bad tone for the season that the Raiders couldn’t overcome. With Brown gone, the team may be better off. Carr was able to say a couple of more things about Brown.
”As a friend, it stung seeing him have to go somewhere else, but I wish him the best. I don’t even think he has hard feelings toward anybody. He just wanted a different place. I wish him the best, and I hope he gets everything he wants. I wish him and his family the best.
”Practices were fun. I can tell my kids I threw to him, but we’re moving on. We have a good football team, and I’m really happy to be on this team, because we’re like a family.”
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