OAKLAND -- Derek Carr orchestrated yet another fourth-quarter, game-deciding drive in the Raiders’ 31-24 victory over the Detroit Lions, but that wasn’t his only moment in the sun.
He was pretty awesome from start to finish.
The Raiders quarterback was 20-for-31 passing for 289 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. In fact, he has thrown just one interception since Week 3, and is in firm command of Jon Gruden’s offense.
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That was clear on the game-deciding drive, where he marched 75 yards on seven plays. He was pinpoint accurate, including on a scramble-drill strike to Hunter Renfrow.
That, Gruden said, was Carr’s best yet.
“Derek Carr played great today,” Gruden said. “He made some great throws. That scramble touchdown to Renfrow was as good as Derek Carr has played since I’ve been here.”
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Carr was asked why that was the case. His answer was simple.
Time.
“We’re seeing the fruits of Coach Gruden and I being together,” Carr said. “We’ve been given time. This league does not give quarterbacks enough time to develop. This organization has done that. It has given me time. It’s steady. We know who the coach is and who the quarterback is. We have been allowed to grow.”
Carr is halfway through his second season in Gruden's system. He feels more comfortable with every rep, as was displayed Sunday.
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"The more you can be in the same system, the more confident you can be,” Carr said. “I can make that first [31-yard completion to Jalen Richard] because I know where the ball should go based on the coverage I get. There were a few times on blitzes where I know what to do, and we were able to get some big plays on things. ...
We’re seeing the fruits of good coaching. We’re the types of players who will work hard and do whatever they say.
"That’s all I do.”