Getty Former Raiders QB Rich Gannon.
It may be manufactured by the fans but there’s a bit of a rivalry brewing between Rich Gannon and Derek Carr over recent weeks. They are easily the two best Raiders quarterbacks since the days of Jim Plunkett but when it comes to wins, Gannon is in a completely different class than Carr. The former was 45-29 in his six years with the team while the latter is 56-70.
A debate between who the better quarterback is broke out between the fan base win Gannon took to Twitter to say that wins are the most important stat for a quarterback. Many saw that as a jab towards Carr, who has only led the team to the playoffs once but didn’t play due to an injury. The Raiders are now in the midst of a three-game winning streak and are one win away from their first playoff berth since 2016.
Despite some fans trying to create drama between the two quarterbacks, Gannon took to SiriusXM NFL Radio to praise Carr for the Raiders’ 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
“It all starts with Carr,” Gannon said of the Raiders’ win over the Colts. “I mean, you talk about a team that’s so dependent on one player. Say what you want about Derek Carr, they put a lot on his plate and I talk about the freedom and flexibility this guy has at the line of scrimmage because he’s earned it, he’s been in that system a long time, he knows it like the back of his hand. And I just thought, despite the interceptions, it was a gritty performance, and think that’s what you’re gonna get the rest of the way.”
“It was a gritty performance.”
@RichGannon12 on the @Raiders having a chance to clinch a spot in the AFC playoffs and how he was impressed by QB Derek Carr on Sunday.
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Did Carr Take Jab at Gannon After Sunday’s Win?
After getting testy with people online in recent years, Carr mostly avoids arguing with people online or taking shots. However, he may have taken a bit of a shot at Gannon after the Colts win. During a postgame interview, Carr made a comment about wins being all that matters.
“I just think it’s funny how we’re winning games,” Carr said. “It’s the story of our season. We’re turning the ball over. Sometimes we don’t get the first down. All these different kind of things and all this adversity and yet we find a way to win. And from what I hear that’s all that matters.”
“I think it’s funny how we are winning games. We’re turning the ball over, sometimes we don’t get a first down…All this adversity, YET we still find a way to win.”
@derekcarrqb catches up with @Sara_Walsh after the Raiders win against the Colts
At the end of the day, wins are all that matters but it’s not always up to Carr whether or not the Raiders win. He may not have directly been clapping back at Gannon but it’s easy to see why some fans would believe that.
Biggest Game of Carr’s Career?
In 2011, the Raiders were set to make the playoffs. All they had to do was beat the Chargers in the last game of the season. They ended up losing and missed the playoffs. A decade later, the Raiders will now have a chance at revenge. It’s possible the team makes the playoffs even if they lose but a win over the Chargers guarantees that the season will continue.
This will easily be the biggest game Carr has ever played in. He wasn’t with the team during their 2016 playoff run so this is the closest thing to a playoff game that he’s been a part of. Carr hasn’t been perfect this season but he’s made plays when it counts. The Chargers have a very talented squad this year and also need a win to guarantee a playoff spot. The Raiders will have to come to play on Sunday if they hope to make the playoffs for just the second time since 2002.
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