It seems so simple, but it’s the truth. The Raiders are a much better team when Derek Carr is aggressive and throwing the ball down the field.
On Thanksgiving, Carr might have been the most aggressive that he’s been all season. He “attempted” six passes beyond 20 yards, but that doesn’t even count a number of balls that he threw downfield that drew defensive pass interference calls.
Carr only connected two passes beyond 20 air yards, but those completions completely changed the game. The first of which was a touchdown to DeSean Jackson on the opening drive of the game. The other was a 56-yard completion to Hunter Renfrow that set up a field goal.
Take a look at Carr’s passing chart from Week 12 via the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and you will see how aggressive he was against the Cowboys.
Here is #Raiders QB Derek Carr's passing chart in Week 12: pic.twitter.com/bfHBrK0MsR
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 27, 2021
After another wild week in the NFL, the Raiders still have a really good chance to make the playoffs. In fact, the AFC West crown is still up for grabs with the Chargers losing to the Broncos on Sunday.
But for the Raiders to continue to win games, they will need Carr to play at this level for the next month. Can he do that behind a shaky offensive line and less-than-stellar receiving corps? That remains to be seen, but at least we know that can do it against a top-notch opponent.
