The Oakland Raiders return home to the Coliseum after an impressive 28-27 victory against the Baltimore Ravens. Upon three quality road victories this season, quarterback Derek Carr and the roster return home for their first divisional battle of the season.
Head coach Jack Del Rio and his staff prepare for their second home game of the season, in a Week 5 matchup against the San Diego Chargers. While the defense has been sub-par thus far, the offense has been clicking on all cylinders.
Carr and the Raiders secured another game-winning drive, as Michael Crabtree secured his third touchdown of the game. Four games into the season, the third-year quarterback has shown an elite level of promise.
His Week 4 game-winning drive resulted in a career-high four touchdowns, with Carr exuding a franchise quarterback type presence.
Prior to their matchup, Chargers head coach Mike McCoy held high praise for the Raiders quarterback, stating he isn’t surprised by the success, via Kyle Martin of Raiders.com:
“You just love the way he goes about it and he plays. He’ll sit in the pocket, take a big hit, jump right back up with that smirk on his face like, ‘I got it. I completed the ball.’ He just keeps on going. You just love the way he plays. He’s very talented. Had a great career at Fresno. We were very high on him here coming out, when he came out of the draft, but it doesn’t shock me at all the success he’s having.”
When facing the high-powered offense, not only do you have to account for Carr, but for the entire repertoire. The offensive line has kept Carr upright, while the running game has different threats out of the backfield.
The Raiders have kept their turnovers low, which has been crucial in their offensive production. Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano complemented Carr and stated that their divisional opponents have quite the momentum:
“I think a guy that’s been playing really well is [Derek] Carr. He’s not turning the ball over, he’s smart with the football, I know his completion percentage is up seven percent from last year. He’s throwing it 68 or 69 percent, which is a high level. They’re not giving up sacks as an offensive unit and they’re not turning the ball over and that’s something huge. It’s a big task going up there against a division opponent.”
The one-time pro-bowler lost both games to the Chargers during his rookie campaign, but also won both contests during the 2015 season.
In their first divisional matchup of the season, the Coliseum will be rocking. The Raiders currently sit second in the AFC East, just one game behind the 4-0 Denver Broncos.
Through four games this season, Carr has connected for 1066 yards, nine touchdowns and just one interception. His 68 percent completion percentage and 266.5 yards per game are on pace for career highs.
