Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
It took a few years to get back to this point but Derek Carr is officially an MVP candidate almost halfway through the season. The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback has had some good moments since Jon Gruden took over the team in 2018 but this has been the best he’s ever looked. On Sunday, he led the team to a 33-22 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He completed an absurd 91.2% of his passes and threw for 323 yards with two touchdowns.
To say he is dialed in would be an understatement. With Gruden recently resigning, Carr has more power than almost anybody on the team. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson is calling plays but Carr is running the offense. Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia wasn’t shy about who the face of the franchise is right now.
“Derek is the voice of the Raiders right now,” Bisaccia said Sunday. “The players always want to listen to him, and they go to him. He is a tremendous leader, both on and off the field.”
Carr has developed into the leader of the Raiders. Players respect him and that’s clear by the fact that they’ve shown up to play the last two weeks despite losing their head coach. The fact that he’s playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL makes it easier to lead.
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Carr Trying to Fill Gruden Void
GettyDerek Carr with Jon Gruden.
Gruden was the Raiders during his over three years with the team and made them in his image. His resignation certainly left a void for the franchise. However, Carr is doing the best he can to fill it and appreciates Bisaccia putting his trust in him.
“When Coach Gruden would walk a room, all eyes are on him,” Carr said of Bisaccia’s comments, “When we lost that, someone has to fill that void. It’s not only me, but obviously as the quarterback and leader and I’ve been here a while, I was like, I got to take that part of what I do to another level.
“I’m just trying to do everything I can to encourage, uplift and motivate the guys to keep going in every situation. It’s not only me, but I appreciate him saying that.”
Raiders Are Having Fun
The Raiders should be a mess right now. They were on a two-game losing streak and their head coach had to resign in disgrace. Instead of being down on themselves, the team is actually having fun right now.
“We went through a lot of adversity … it was a big shock and we are all behind Rich Bisaccia,” left tackle Kolton Miller said Sunday. “We have a great team, and we know that. We just have to continue to make strides, and the trust and the faith that we’re rolling with now is awesome.
“We had some fun out there today.”
Perhaps Gruden leaving was the kickstart the team needed. The Raiders have had talent over the last few seasons but haven’t utilized it for a full season. The team seems to be on an excellent trajectory now.
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