What Really Happened On Derek Carr’s “Missed” Throw To Jared Cook?

Like nearly everyone in the Raiders building, Derek Carr has taken a great deal of criticism in recent weeks.

On Monday, the hot topic surrounding Carr was a “missed” read to Jared Cook on a third down early in the game. The throw went to a well-covered Cordarrelle Patterson who came nowhere near making a play on the ball.

Carr defended the decision to throw to Patterson based on a lurking safety and the single coverage the Chiefs were giving Patterson.

The play is explained below by Ted Nguyen (via The Athletic).

In fact, the entire sequence feels like a microcosm of what’s been going wrong with the Raiders offense for much of the season.

Carr is correct. The best matchup on this play was the single coverage on the right side.

The problem?

Cordarrelle Patterson is arguably the worst route-runner among starting wide receivers in the NFL. Any pass where timing is essential (which is basically all passes), you’re taking a great risk involving Patterson.

Nevertheless, Patterson is the option the Chiefs were giving (good game-planning on their part).

But was Jared Cook really not an option on this play?

Given Carr’s arm strength and lightning quick release, it looks like there was still a window that would have allowed Cook to make the play without suffering irreparable harm.

Shown below is the moment Cook becomes free.

Unlike Patterson, Cook ran an outstanding route (the linebackers hips are turned completely) and if the ball is coming out here, the safety probably makes the tackle, but nothing Cook wouldn’t be able to handle.

The next frame shows Carr had moved past his first read (Cook) as soon as he read the safety. At this point, he’s locked in on Patterson and the Chiefs have arrived at their best-case scenario.

The drive now comes down to whether or now Patterson can win a one-on-one.

Carr has taken criticism for coming off reads too quickly and maybe this wasn’t a time where that happened, but if defenses are able to dictate scenarios like this where Patterson is the “only” option, it’s easy to see why the Raiders are having so little success picking up first downs through the air.

twitter: @raidersbeat

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14 thoughts on “What Really Happened On Derek Carr’s “Missed” Throw To Jared Cook?

  1. We only needed less than 10 yards on this play the safety was far to deep to make a play on the ball he has a chance at a tackle in the open field but even that is not a sure thang at his current death.. it was a bad read on Carr’s part no doubt about it

    1. It wasn’t a bad read, it was the correct read, as the author said. The problem was that Patterson is a terrible route runner. Crabtree has been involved in that sane exact play in Patterson spot many times, and more often then not he gets an easy 1st down. But bc its Patterson, the play becomes a train wreck.

      1. Lets keep it 100 .. it was a bad read by Carr. Patterson was clearly not open and Carr had plenty of time to make a second maybe even a third read on that particular play. Cook came open immediately and would have had a 1st down and probably more YAC. Carr is a little antsy in the pocket this year, and for good reason. The 2 tackles are below average [yes, Penn has lost a lot since early last year]. Carr’s protection has not been as good as last year

  2. I’ll like to point out that even the backside curl route was a better option with the DB playing off coverage… Carr doesn’t come off reads to fast he jus makes bad pre snap decisions.. it’s far too many times he’s looking at one we while others are running free.

    1. Had Carr thrown the curl route on the other side it would’ve been pick 6’d by the DB waiting to jump the route acting like he’s covering the WR. Like Carr said, don’t read too much into what you think you see. You don’t know the coverage, the offenses plan against that coverage, and what variances the fever is making to those coverage to accommodate for what the Raiders are doing. Only the QB is going to notice those subtle patterns.

    2. Keon, I don’t know what games you are watching, but this is what I have been seeing from Carr going back to at least last season. He does not allow plays to develop, and he locks in on his receiver way too soon. I think defenses have seen this tendency, and they are dictating to Carr what he is going to do. I don’t know if this is something Carr can fix. Maybe with a good QB coach; Brady made it a point to work with the best QB coach in his career, and look at the results. This has been Carr’s Achilles heel for quite some time. It was masked over last season by the success we were having in spite of this issue. We paid him too soon. We should have paid Mack first because he has been playing at a level most players only dream about since coming into the season. Carr not so much. He has always had problems with accuracy. He almost got Cooper killed with the type of bad throw he regularly delivers. I am not surprised more of our players have not been injured because of a Derek Carr pass.

      1. Dude “its” all Carr’s fault? Have you watched any games prior to Carr’s start in Oak? Cause you must be out of your **** mind….The defense minus Mack and Irvin has been mostly shot and oh yeah without Carr get ready to go back to drafting in the top 10 every year…. The receivers have dropped too many balls too get in to rhythm, Holton will lay the ball on the ground as soon as he catches it…

      2. Carr was praised often for his reads last year! I don’t know where your getting you’re info from. The difference between this year and last is he’s facing a 12-4 schedule not an 8-8 schedule! Much better defenses! Plus the loss of Musgrave is having a major effect! 7 runs total against the Chiefs by Lynch? They were 29th in the league against the run, 30th against the pass! Downing made them look like the 85 Bears! Now Carr played a terrible game! Worst since his rookie year! You can see he’s rattled! Haven’t seen that before. But all those 50-50 balls were being caught last year. Like I said, terrible teams. Carr has lost his convidence! Look at his recievers, other than Crabtree and Cook not one NFL starter! Situational players! I still think Carr will be elite if given the coaching! Coaching, coaching, coaching. There’s the REAL PROBLEM! Del Rio has allowed this to reach this point! He did exactly the samething in Jacksonville! A Couple of turn around years, a couple of playoff years. Fired Musgrave as soon as HE felt a little heat. And then the wheels fell off !

  3. Yup. 6-7. Let’s cut DC now and move forward to the draft and new QB. He’s terrible and I wish we had never drafted the brother of David Carr the other bad QB.

    Now that I’ve sounded the Idiot Alarm can we please move forward from the QB to the OC who hasn’t cured all the DROPPED PASSES BY RAIDER RECEIVERS. If you don’t think Carr is incapable and overpaid just wait till we pay AC. The QB is “The” easiest target and the darn guy thinks it’s ALL HIS FAULT too. So young. Everybody on this team needs to MAN UP from Mr. Davis to the water boy.

    Next victim of “It’s all his fault” please……

  4. Always thought it was a problem that Carr too often takes what the defense gives him. He often trusts his pre snap reads too heavily and, as you point out, will come off reads to quickly. The defense will always take away the best option and force to do what’s really the worst option. Then you have to have players and a scheme to beat it. Can’t let defenses dictate too much, but there’s a fine line between that and to take what defenses gives them.

  5. Since TD gave DC more options to audible he has been terrible. 3 years in the NFL does not justify DC as capable as say, Rodgers. He played better last when they gave him litl rope to play with. This us not just DC fault, byt TD for thinking he was ready for pre snal calls. This whole Organization looks like **** rite now!

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