Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Things are looking grim for the Las Vegas Raiders. After a brief three-game losing streak, the team hit a low point when it lost to Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. For his part, quarterback Derek Carr played his worst game of the season.
He went 11 for 20 with just 137 yards and two interceptions. He was thoroughly outplayed by Mayfield, who had just joined the Rams a couple of days before the game. This was supposed to be the year that Carr took a big leap now that he has a star wide receiver in Davante Adams. However, he’s taken a step back from last year’s performance.
Carr could end up being the victim of some perfect timing. Tom Brady will be a free agent in the offseason and things aren’t going well with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 2020 Super Bowl champions are 6-7 and just got blown out by the San Francisco 49ers. There’s a good chance he’s going to want a change of scenery this offseason and the Raiders might be the most logical destination.
Brady’s longtime quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the head coach in Las Vegas. The two have a great relationship. There’s also the fact that owner Mark Davis would likely be into the idea of adding the three-time MVP. With how this season has gone for Brady and the Raiders, longtime NFL insider Gregg Rosenthal believes Las Vegas is the favorite to land the quarterback in the offseason.
Brady Better Than Carr in Key Category
Carr has earned a reputation for being a quarterback who likes to play it safe and check down. However, he’s always been much better when tossing the ball down the field. 11 of his 20 touchdown passes this year have been for 25 yards or more. Once the field gets shorter, he becomes a much worse quarterback. In fact, he’s 32nd in the NFL when it comes to red zone passer rating.
His 39.6% completion percentage in the red zone is the worst in the NFL. If there’s one thing Brady does better than almost anybody, it’s throwing in the red zone. Since 2020, he has thrown 74 touchdown passes in the red zone.
Tom Brady has thrown 73 Red Zone touchdowns without an interception since joining the Bucs.
Since 2020, Carr has thrown a total of 70 touchdowns from anywhere on the field. Obviously, Brady has had better pieces to work with in recent years but that’s an astounding statistic. Part of the reason the Raiders hired McDaniels was due to the fact that his offenses always play well in the red zone. That hasn’t been the case this year with Carr at the helm.
Carr Can Secure Job in Coming Weeks
The Raiders need a miracle to make the playoffs but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty left to play for. Carr could be playing for his career in Las Vegas. If he looks like he did against the Rams for the final four weeks, the Raiders would have to consider making a move.
If he can look like he did against the Seattle Seahawks or Denver Broncos, then his chances of staying are greatly increased. He’s a very good quarterback but he’s got to prove to McDaniels that he’s the right guy going forward and a better fit than Brady.