The Raiders offensive line was awesome against the Indianapolis Colts. Derek Carr was pressured just four times and never sacked, meaning the Raiders quarterback was predictably productive in a clean pocket.
He had a 136.6 passer rating, passed for three touchdowns and ran for another. Carr’s effort was worthy of a win, if only the defense held up.
Such pristine protection used to be the norm in these parts, but the offensive line has fallen on hard times. Injury has sapped a talented group’s effectiveness, with knee injuries to rookie Kolton Miller and veteran Kelechi Osemele debilitating the line’s left side.
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SIGN UP HERE Carr has been sacked 16 times in the last four games, which includes the Colts game where he was barely touched. He was sacked seven times last week against the 49ers, six by the Seahawks in London.
He has been sacked 24 times this season, and is on pace for a career-high 48. This isn’t on Carr. He gets rid of the ball in 2.42 seconds, tied for fourth fastest in the league.
Carr is getting hit far too often, and is taking a toll halfway through the year.
“Definitely, physically. Mentally, no,” Carr said Wednesday. “Coach Gruden is as hard on me as anybody, and he’s always checking film to look at my footwork and making sure those things are staying good. Mentally, everything’s good. You physically take a beating, but it is what it is.”
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Carr was pulled in both the Seahawks and 49ers games to avoid injury – Carr was sat down but the Raiders never gained possession -- when the contest was out of hand.
Carr’s spray chart made the rounds after both games, showing passes honed around the line of scrimmage with precious few deep shots. That’s because the game’s called different under unrelenting pressure.
“There are certain things we wish we could do, certain checks we wish we get to but we can’t,” Carr said. “That makes it hard but, whatever we do or call, you have to do out and do your best and deal with these injuries.”
Carr was sacked 31 times last year and a league-low 16 the year before that, and has benefitted from excellent pass protection. This season has been different, with rookie offensive tackles on both sides.
Right tackle Brandon Parker has struggled some with performance – he was benched for a spell against the 49ers – but Miller has been solid on the left. His bad games were played on a bum knee where he might’ve been better sitting if the Raiders had a decent backup.
The pressure makes life harder on a quarterback and his play caller.
“It effects any quarterback,” head coach Jon Gruden said. When an offensive line is healthy and playing great, it makes everyone else’s job a lot easier. I’m not going to make any excuses. I think Derek is doing some good things, but it does make things difficult when you have the amount of injuries that we have (on the offensive line). …We have eight games left. We have to continue to coach hard and improve in that area.”
Even continued struggles won’t put Derek Carr on pace to match brother David’s 2002 rookie season with Houston as an expansion team. David Carr was sacked 76 times in one season and took a merciless beating after being the first overall pick.
This, Derek says, is nothing like that.
“It’s not that bad. It’s not that bad,” Derek Carr said. “My guys are awesome. There were times with (David) where they would have the right guys blocked and still got beat. At least our guys fight. They always fight.”