Getty Derek Carr and Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Things were going great for the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers but were almost struck with disaster. Right after he hit Foster Moreau for a touchdown in the third quarter, quarterback Derek Carr fell to the ground writhing in pain after a Steelers pass rusher hit his ankle. It was the same ankle he broke in 2016 that derailed his breakout season.
Luckily, he ended up being fine after getting the ankle taped up and finished the game. Carr is as durable as they come but sometimes the adrenaline of a game can make an injury feel less significant than it is. Head coach Jon Gruden revealed that Carr received an MRI on Monday morning. He then gave the quarterback an injury designation that is a bit concerning.
“I think right now he’s questionable,” Gruden said of Carr Monday.
Gruden did say that he believes Carr will play on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins but a questionable designation is still worrisome. It’s hard to imagine Carr will sit out unless he has no choice but it’s a situation to watch heading into Week 3.
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Gruden Praised Carr After Win
Justin K. Aller/Getty ImagesLinebacker T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers tackles quarterback Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Carr getting hurt in Week 2 would’ve been devastating to a Raiders team that is desperate for a playoff appearance. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota is on the injured reserve and third-stringer Nathan Peterman has thrown three touchdowns to 12 interceptions in his career.
Opinions on Carr have varied throughout the years but many are coming around to the fact that he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. After Sunday’s gutsy performance, Gruden believes it’s time for Carr to get the respect he deserves.
“I’ll just let his performance speak for itself,” Gruden said of Carr following Sunday’s win. “I’ve been clamoring about Derek Carr since I’ve been here. Hopefully, he gets some recognition for doing what he did today. He had some long drives. He was big again at the end of the game against two great defenses two weeks in a row and it’s a big reason why we’ve been able to win.”
Obviously, it’s early in the season but Carr is already squarely in the MVP race. With a brutal schedule all season, he’ll have plenty of chances to put on more signature performances in the coming weeks.
Gruden Offers Update on Alex Leatherwood
The Raiders have been hit hard by injuries early. Carr was able to return after a brief scare but first-round pick Alex Leatherwood left the game in the first half and didn’t return. It’s still unclear how bad his injury but Gruden offered a little insight.
“We’re going to call it a back strain,” Gruden said. “So, he’s being evaluated as we speak and we’ll list him as questionable until we get further information. But we need our right tackle for sure.”
A big reason the Raiders moved on from Trent Brown and drafted Leatherwood was because they were tired of dealing with injuries at right tackle. Hopefully, it’s minor and the young offensive lineman is back on the field soon.
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