Derek Carr’s struggles in the 2018 NFL season have yet to subside. It seems Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is taking responsibility for his lackluster play this year.
Carr’s mediocre performance thus far has raised questions about his status as the franchise quarterback moving forward. According to Matt Schneidman of Mercury News, Gruden takes the blame for his shortcomings:
“Derek and I already had a long meeting this morning … I said it when I got here. If he doesn’t play well, I’ve failed. This guy’s a good player that can be great.”
There is a good reason for Gruden to feel responsible. Despite his hiatus from the NFL, he has established a reputation for being somewhat of a quarterback guru. There was plenty of optimism that he would help Carr return to Pro Bowl form. Unfortunately, that has not been the case thus far.
Carr has been more accurate this year than he has his entire career. However, there is not much to show for it after throwing for 1,783 yards, seven touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Perhaps even more concerning is the lack of chemistry with No. 1 wideout Amari Cooper. Their abysmal rapport has led to Cooper being shopped by the Raiders.
It should be noted that his performance is indicative of the offense as a while. Although they have no problems moving the ball, they have failed to capitalize on their opportunities in the red zone. As a result, they have mustered up only 18.3 points per game this season. Only four teams in the entire league have scored less per game.
Of course, their struggles can all be traced back to Gruden. His comeback to coaching has certainly not gone as planned. Carr’s lack of progression is just the latest in a laundry list of problems Oakland is having right now.
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