Raiders Have Their QB of the Future in Derek Carr

It might have been apparent way back in March, when the Raiders were studying quarterbacks in the draft. After witnessing Derek Carr's impressive workout at Fresno State, the Raiders put him first on their quarterback board, ahead of Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel and the rest, according to offensive coordinator Greg Olson. The team valued Carr as a high first-round pick, but it did not value him more than linebacker Khalil Mack. So the Raiders chose Mack with the fifth pick of the first round.

Then, with the fourth pick of the second round, the Raiders jumped."All the things we were looking for in a quarterback, we felt he had," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said in a post-draft press conference.

It was starting to become apparent in the months between the draft and the start of the regular season. At his first practice of the offseason, Carr was a presence, Olson said, encouraging teammates and showing leadership and maturity in a manner that is uncommon for rookies. Already married for two years and a father, there was nothing about Carr that indicated he was only 23.They weren't wearing pads or playing with pass rush in May and June, but Carr impressed the coaches with his decision-making, quick delivery and accuracy. He was supposed to be outperformed by Matt Schaub and Matt McGloin, but Olson said Carr consistently graded the highest of the group. Then, in training camp, the somewhat puzzling trend continued.

He started slowly in the preseason and didn't play in the important third game with a rib injury. But in the finale, then-head coach Dennis Allen started Carr against the defending champion Seahawks. In a little more than one quarter against Seahawks starters, Carr threw three touchdown passes and was the primary reason the Raiders won 41-31. That was all Allen needed to see to make a bold move.

It was becoming apparent to some people in the first weeks of the regular season. In his debut against Rex Ryan's complicated Jets defense, Carr did not turn the ball over, and he had a 94.7 passer rating.

Against the Texans the following week, he caught the eye of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. On one play, Carr faked a handoff left, then sprinted to the open field to his right, outrunning several defenders for a 41-yard gain.

"There are not a lot of quarterbacks in the league that would make that play," Belichick told reporters at the time. And he added, "I think the kid's got a great future."

It became apparent to a lot of fans on a Thursday night versus Kansas City in late November. The Raiders still were winless and had little reason to believe they could change that against a 7-3 team that was coming off a victory over the Seahawks.

"There was a lot of pressure on his shoulders when you haven't won a game at that point in the season," Olson said.

He did not play like it. The Raiders trailed the Chiefs by three when they took over at their own 20 with 9:03 remaining. Sixteen plays later, Carr had the Raiders on the Kansas City 9-yard line. As he took his place in the gun, he told Bleacher Report he recognized the Chiefs were playing a type of Cover 0 without blitzing. The key, though, is there was no safety in the middle of the field.

Carr walked back to the center, changing the protection. Then, with the crowd roaring, he signaled to his receivers by putting his hands up next to his ears and shaking them.

Carr called for wide receiver James Jones to run an out and up toward the middle of the field, the soft spot in the Chiefs' coverage. Jones easily shook safety Ron Parker, and Carr lobbed it to him in the back of the end zone for what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown.


Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2309237-raiders-have-their-qb-of-the-future-in-derek-carr