There are a lot of issues that have contributed to the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2-7 start to the season. Former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon has been open about the things that he sees that need to be fixed, and following the team’s most recent loss to the Indianapolis Colts, he set his sights on quarterback Derek Carr.
Carr is clearly the emotional leader of this Raiders team, and no one questions his work ethic and desire to be great, but the results haven’t always been there, and Gannon is now looking for him to step up and get this team over the top.
On The 33rd Team, Gannon broke down what he believes are the factors that are contributing to the Raiders’ struggles and when it comes to Carr, Gannon said that the Raiders quarterback simply isn’t playing well enough, particularly down the stretch, via Levi Damien of Yahoo Sports:
“Derek hasn’t played horribly, but he really hasn’t played well, especially late in games. At some point he has to step up and play better. I think there’s enough tools in the toolbox to get it done and Derek Carr hasn’t, especially when they needed him the most; late in games. If you look at his win/loss record 59-77 that really says it all. Derek Carr has to find a way to put this team on his shoulders and get them to the finish line.”
At the end of the day, wins and losses are what matters most in the NFL, and while everything can’t be put on Carr, it says something that his record is well below .500. Gannon does believe that he has the tools to succeed, but rightfully points out the Raiders’ failures down the stretch.
The Raiders are 0-6 in one-possession games, and the offense has been on the field with a chance to tie the game or take the lead in each one of those contests but has come up short every time. Again, while there are plenty of factors, in the end, it all comes back to Carr as the quarterback.
There is no doubt that Carr cares deeply about the Raiders franchise and leading this team to greatness, but when he’s had his chances this year, he has failed to do so, and Gannon is hoping to see him turn that around.
