• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Cold Wire

Breaking News, Sports, Entertainment, TV, Tech ...

  • Home
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA
    • MLB
  • World News
  • Entertainment
  • Cold Hard Facts
  • About
You are here: Home / Sports / NFL / Derek Carr And Raiders Continue To Thrive In The Passing Game

Derek Carr And Raiders Continue To Thrive In The Passing Game

By Lawrence Fernandez September 20, 2021

Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders gestures during the first half of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on September 19, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

 

Who would have thought that the Las Vegas Raiders would be only one of two undefeated teams left in the AFC West?

The other team isn’t even the Kansas City Chiefs, which lost to the Baltimore Ravens in a thrilling Sunday Night Football showdown.

Going back to the Raiders, their passing game has always been the strong point of their offense.

Last season, the Raiders finished seventh in passing yards per game with 263.6 and tenth in points per game at 27.1.

But two games into the 2021 season, Las Vegas leads the league in passing yards with 391 per game.

Derek Carr used this national interview to specifically praise a teammate. I just became a forever fan. pic.twitter.com/0wLCkrHitj

— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) September 14, 2021

That improvement made them the seventh-best offense in the NFL, scoring 29.5 every game.

While it’s evident that the Raiders offense is trending up, the reason is a combination of several factors.

First, perhaps quarterback Derek Carr is more comfortable with Jon Gruden’s system that he isn’t afraid to take risks at times.

Play calls on Gruden’s playbook are notoriously long, but they do give his quarterback an advantage.

Second, Carr isn’t the same check-down quarterback of old, at least for the first two games.

He threw the walk-off touchdown in overtime to Zay Jones in Week 1 despite the incoming pass rush by the Ravens.

🚨 WALK-OFF TD BY ZAY JONES!🚨

RAIDERS WIN IT IN VEGAS!

(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/2oRpWY9hVe

— ESPN (@espn) September 14, 2021

Third, the Raiders have the personnel to field challenging throws from Carr.

Tight end Darren Waller burned the Ravens with 10 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown during their season debut.

The Carr-Waller tandem started slowly in that Monday Night Football encounter by connecting on just two of eight passes.

But their collaboration picked up since Waller caught a 24-yard pass during the latter part of the second quarter.

DARREN WALLER MANAGERS WHERE YA AT pic.twitter.com/pvgUqOgN3n

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) September 14, 2021

Carr did throw one interception in overtime, which nearly cost them the game.

However, he came back strong with that winning pass to Jones.

 

Carr Is Just Getting Started

The eighth-year quarterback finished the Baltimore game with 34 passes for 435 yards, two touchdowns, and a 60.7 completion percentage.

That production gave Carr at least 300 yards in five of his last six games.

More importantly, the Raiders slew a legitimate playoff contender that pressured Carr once on every four snaps.

The Raiders’ potent passing game continued against another AFC powerhouse in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This time, Carr did not throw any picks and finished with 382 yards and two touchdown passes.

.@derekcarrqb is off to an impressive start to the season. 🔥 #HaveADay@Raiders | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/Ne6LGou39j

— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2021

He also completed 75.6 percent of his 37 total passing attempts.

The Steelers have one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and they are not shy in rushing the quarterback.

Like Baltimore, the Pittsburgh defense did have some success with five quarterback hits.

But the constant pressure did not deter them from playing their game.

Carr just stood up, shaked off the hit, and kept on playing brilliantly for Gruden and the Raiders.

Waller took a back seat to Henry Ruggs III, who finished with five receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown.

The game’s highlight was a 61-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Ruggs while a Pittsburgh blitz was on its way.

HENRY RUGGS IS FAST. #RaiderNation

📺: #LVvsPIT on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/hjVv6vvE2y

— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2021

Ruggs ran past Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and didn’t miss a beat after making the catch.

That completion helped Carr maintain his streak of at least 350 passing yards and two passing touchdowns to three games.

Carr hopes to extend that streak and chalk up another victory next week against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.

Recent News

Derek Carr 4 of the Las Vegas Raiders talks with tight end Darren Waller #83 on the sideline in the first half of their game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium on December 26, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Dolphins defeated the Raiders 26-25.
Derek Carr Reacts To Darren Waller’s Hilarious Golf Swing
Davante Adams #17 of the Green Bay Packers warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland.
NFL Fans Still Adjusting To Davante Adams’ New Look
Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates a rushing touchdown by Giovani Bernard #25 against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.
Tom Brady Shows Up On A Shocking All-Time NFL List

Filed Under: Las Vegas Raiders Rumors And News (Updated Daily), NFL Tagged With: Las Vegas Raiders

About Lawrence Fernandez

Lawrence Andrew Fernandez is a sports journalist from the Philippines. A journalism graduate, he chose sports writing to stay close to the action. Aside from the NFL, he also follows the NBA and MLB. He also delves into mobile games during his free time.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search The Cold Wire

Footer

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

Editorial Guidelines

Contact Us

Sitemap

Advertise

Follow us on

Copyright © 2022 · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ·TheColdWire.com