The Las Vegas Raiders are dealing with some tough times early in the season. They’ve lost their last two games in ugly fashion against the Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears. A big reason the team is struggling is due to ineptitude on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Derek Carr is playing well but can only do so much behind a terrible offensive line.
He’s been sacked 15 times in five games, which is a career-high. To make matters worse, he’s already had two serious injury scares. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carr was tackled awkwardly around his ankle. Luckily, he was back in on the next drive and didn’t miss any time. The Raiders and Carr had another big injury scare on Sunday against the Bears. On a quarterback sneak, Carr was hit hard in the head by linebacker Roquan Smith.
He was down on the ground for some time and it looked like the injury could be serious. Carr did leave the game for a few plays and Nathan Peterman took over the offense. During the injury scare, Portland Trail Blazers star and noted Raiders fan Damian Lillard called out Smith for targeting and also urged the team to sign former NFL MVP Cam Newton.
Targeting bra. . . We gotta sign Cam
Carr returned to the game eventually and led the Raiders to a touchdown. He appears to be OK as the team hasn’t offered any sort of update. That would mean they don’t have a need for Newton unless they’re looking for a new backup quarterback. It’s hard to see the Raiders having an interest in the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
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Raiders Will Stick With Carr for the Season
GettyDerek Carr with Nathan Peterman.
After Sunday’s disappointing performance against the Bears, many fans have soured on Carr again. Based on the first three weeks of the season, it looked like he was an MVP candidate and in line for a massive contract extension. He hasn’t played terribly in the last two games but he’s been lackluster.
However, the Raiders aren’t going to bench him anytime soon. The offensive line is truly terrible this season, which has affected the quarterback’s ability to play at a consistent level. If the offensive line improves, Carr should get back on track.
Is It Time to Worry About the Raiders?
Though the Raiders had a nice start to the season, it’s clear this team has major issues. The defense is improved but can’t stop the run consistently while the offense can’t run the ball consistently. The passing offense and defense should be fine but the entire team needs to figure out the running game.
Josh Jacobs is a very good running back but can’t run when he’s getting no help from the offensive line. Las Vegas is still tied for the second spot in the AFC West but it’s officially time to start worrying. The offensive line could be the bane of this team and there’s no immediate fix in sight. Richie Incognito returning later in the season isn’t going to fix the entire unit. The Raiders face the Denver Broncos on Sunday and that game will be one of the most important of the year.
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Damian Lillard Urged Raiders to Sign 3-Time Pro Bowl QB