If the Raiders are going to be a playoff team in 2021, they are going to need Derek Carr to play at an elite level. In the first three games of the season, you can make a strong argument that no quarterback in the league played better than Carr.
However, he came crashing down to earth in Week 4 as the Raiders looked lifeless on offense. The offense did not score in the first half and Carr threw for just 196 yards on 34 attempts. This week, the Raiders will face the Chicago Bears and their terrifying pass rush.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they asked a simple question about Carr; can he bounce back from a bad performance in Week 4? Here is what Ben Linsey had to say about the NFL’s leading passer:
“Carr recorded a PFF passing grade below 75.0 for the first time this season last week against the Chargers. He didn’t have nearly as much downfield success as he had in prior weeks. He completed just one of five passes thrown 20 or more yards downfield after going 12-of-22 for 371 yards and two touchdowns on such attempts across the season’s first three weeks.
The question now becomes whether Carr can bounce back from that down performance and work his way back into the MVP conversation that swung heavily in Kyler Murray’s favor last week.”
The Raiders are still incredibly talented on offense, but the offensive line has not played well in the first month of the season. If the Raiders want to bounce back on offense, that group needs to play better. Carr will be fine as he has become one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league over the last few years.
If the Raiders can find a way to block Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn in Week 5, look for Carr to torch their secondary and potentially regain the No. 1 spot in passing yards.