For a moment, it appeared as though the Las Vegas Raiders would pull off another upset over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 11.
Quarterback Derek Carr seemingly put the finishing touches on a magnificent outing that saw him complete 23 of 31 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. His last strike to tight end Jason Witten in the end zone put the Raiders ahead 31-28 with just under two minutes left.
However, it ultimately proved to be more than enough time for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense to make their way downfield for a game-winning drive. Regardless, head coach Jon Gruden is pleased with what he saw under center.
Aside from a desperation heave in the closing seconds, Carr put together another stellar performance. Gruden even went so far as to suggest that it would have been a flawless outing without some dropped passes from his receivers, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
Gruden said Carr was "almost flawless." "He had 4 or 5 balls that were magnificent throws that we could've caught."
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) November 23, 2020
There is certainly plenty of truth to Gruden’s comments considering how Carr has managed to hold his own going toe-to-toe with Mahomes in each AFC West matchup. He stepped up once again in Week 11 by coming through when the offense needed it most.
Although the Raiders may have come up short this time around, it is safe to say that Carr has managed to silence the doubters with his play in the 2020 NFL season. The praise from Gruden only helps to solidify his status as the long-term option under center.
Carr made it clear leading up to this divisional matchup that he was willing to roll with any approach that helps get the job done. Gruden’s efforts to maintain the balance on offense certainly paid some dividends for this group as a whole.
The Raiders will now look to bounce back in a favorable matchup against the 3-7 Atlanta Falcons in Week 12.
