Raiders color commentator Lincoln Kennedy has been one of Derek Carr’s strongest critics over the past few years, but on Friday he said Carr’s performances in the first three games are in the conversation with some of the top quarterbacks in the league, including Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson.
“He has played well,” Kennedy said on Friday’s In The Huddle podcast. “Derek hasn’t thrown a bunch of interceptions. Derek has been accurate, and I’ve been very critical of Derek Carr, people who know me know I’ve been extremely critical of Derek Carr for some of the decision-making over the last couple of years, but [Sunday’s loss] is not his fault. I’ve seen him play poorly and I’ve also seen him play very well, and I think for the first three games he has played well enough to have this team 3-0.”
The question now is, how well will Carr have to play to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday?
It feels like the Bills are a lock to hang 30 points on the Raider defense, so it will probably take one of Carr’s best efforts to keep up – especially considering he will be missing two of his best offensive linemen and both of his starting wide receivers.
That being said, one of Carr’s best games last year (vs. Chicago in week 5) came with his top two receivers on the sideline. The Raiders relied heavily on tight ends and running backs that game and Carr spread the ball around to nine different receivers. Look for that to be the game plan again on Sunday.
twitter: @raiderbeat
All of us Raiders fans are pulling for another Raiders win and hopefully some of the players will step up and help Derek Carr get that third win. For all of everyone’s criticisms, of the Raiders, we all just want them to win. Go Rayyyyyyders.
Thank you Lincoln Kennedy! I know he’s been a frequent critic of Carr but when he plays well which is more often than not he should get his due. Some won’t ever give him that but at least Kennedy did. And I agree with Lincoln
Wilson has 14 TD to Carr’s 6…Lincoln have you been drinking?!?!? It’s not even close guy
Umm really! Stop it! Let see if he reverts back to his regular check down ways now the key weapons are out for this game. Save the hype! He is not that guy!
It’s kind of hard to pass deep when all your starting wide receivers are out your number one receiver and number two receivers out and he’s missing two of his best starting offensive lineman so what the hell are you talking about???!!?
So wait, the top 3 WRs on the depth chart are out and you still think he’s supposed to be out there just slinging the ball down the field? Take Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins alway from Mahomes to go up against a top pass defense and see what he does. Some of yall really don’t know ball.
DerrIck Carr is improving
He just got his *** kicked in New England and he’s improving!?!?! Overrated
Yes Carr need to be Carr and go play his game and the W will come if plays his game run the ball pass when we need to don’t turn it over..and if this defense can actually put some stops together like they did against the saints we can pull it off
The Raiders are jinxed! It’s no big secret! They fucked us fans when they moved to L A. They totally fucked us fans when they benched & completely mistreated Marcus Allen. ( Clearly the greatest Raider of all time) & Now once again they have fucked the true Raider nation over by moving to Vegas! Marcus should have been a Raider 4 life. He should be on the sidelines as a coach or mentor. ( with about 5 Super Bowl Rings on)…. each hand..
Great call!!!
Before he got hurt he was with those guys not no more those guys are fearless Carr still plays like he hears footsteps!!! He is playing better but still plays spooked and any football fan knows this and if you ever played the game on any level you Definitely know and can see it…
Exactly on the mark! After breaking his leg, Carr has never been the same.
Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln..I Respect your opinion but NOOOO WAAAY…How many Losses does KC have?? How many Losses does Seattle have?? Mahomes and Wilson has shown up for ALL 3 Games..Chatty Cathy Carr has shown up for 2 ..(pretty easy math Lincoln)
Okay I know my Patrick Mahomes is a badass but look at the weapons he has even a piece of crap like Alex Smith looked good in that offense imagine if you put Derek Carr in that offense. If you give car the correct offense and some good whiteouts or some healthy white outs you’ll see a big difference in his game. Even with the mediocre offensive team we had last year he put up good numbers.
Couldn’t have said it better..too much talk and not enough throws downfield…check down charlie is what he is now
Carr doesn’t have the long ball, won’t run , can’t adjust his game when the defense figures him out. He is a stat quarterback , not a elite play making quarterback. Lacks the killer instincts that separates good from the great.
He’s not that guy. He’s never played in a playoff game in 7 years. He’s in the conversation as bust. Lincoln Kennedy called him out correctly at first and now he changed his mind base on what? No interceptions, few touchdowns and footsteps and fumbles. When you’re the QB, you get all the credit, good or bad!
I’ve never understood the critics of Carr who constantly lambast him for “checking down” when he doesn’t have wide receivers. When he has had them there was no problem throwing downfield, but when both your starting receivers are out you’re an idiot if you don’t check down. If he starts throwing deep and gets intercepted, then they’ll say “he throws interceptions.” Forget the noise from those idiots who sit in the comfort of their living room and have never taken a hit. Lincoln Kennedy’s voice carries real weight, not the comfort couch clowns.
Marcus Allen said he wanted to go into the hall of fame as a chief . He acted like a little bitch about sharing the backfield with Bo Jackson…Bo freaking Jackson the greatest athlete of that generation….so he tried to punk Al Davis and you don’t try to punk Al. The team moved to LA because Oakland was trying to punk Al . We went back and Oakland acted like fools again …so we broke that jinx by coming to Vegas where were being treated right . It sounds like you think mayock and gruden are blowing it too ? Maybe you should go be a fan of the gaybay 49rs. RAIDERS NATION is only for real men
How can a check down QB with an Ugly Loss be anywhere NEAR undefeated Mahomes and Wilson ?!?!? Not even close
Will be here discussing the same imperfections in Carr’s game 5 or 6 years from now. He doesn’t possess that It factor.. Smh bcuz he has all the tools to be Great. Some things just aren’t coachable..
He just does not look comfortable to me in the pocket.
I’ve said it before and now I’m saying it again, the Raiders should go sign Anthony Gordon from the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad because Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota and certainly not Nathan Peterman are the future of this franchise. Check Down Derek has great stats but not enough wins. The Raiders only quick strike and come back capabilities are the excuses why they can’t get the job done, that Jon Gruden is great at offering. Eric Bieniemy, the Offensive Coordinator, of the Kansas City Chiefs deserves a shot at a head coaching job and, if they can get him, Steve Spagnuolo could do a better job than Paul Guenther. I don’t know if anyone remembers but after Tony Dungy was let go in Tampa Bay, and Jon Gruden took over, one of the coaching holdovers, that Jon Gruden kept, was current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. My point is that there is coaching talent, in the NFL, that just needs an opportunity to show what they can do and Mark Davis needs to hire a few of them, immediately. I certainly look for, and am hopeful that, the Raiders to make wholesale changes after this season.