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Derek Carr had one of his best seasons in 2020 and returns to the Las Vegas Raiders with hopes of getting the franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Over the last year, Carr threw for 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 67.3 completion percentage. The Raiders failed to reach the playoffs after a late-season debacle where they won only five of their last seven games, and there was discussion about whether the team should have moved on from Carr as the quarterback.
Although he attracted some doubters because of the Raiders' inability to close their season on a positive note for the second straight year, Carr is back for his eighth year with the Raiders. Here's an update on his status for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
Is Carr playing today against the Ravens?
The noise about Carr changed nothing regarding his status. He's the Raiders' franchise quarterback and will play against the Ravens in Week 1.
Carr is in a weird contract situation as he turns 31 next year and has no dead cap in case the Raiders decide to release him. He's coming off one of his best seasons yet and has displayed an improvement every year in Jon Gruden's offensive system, so there's no reason for Las Vegas to get rid of him, especially because the next draft class isn't as loaded with quarterback talent as the last two years.
The Raiders changed a lot of faces in their offense, especially in the offensive line. Turns out, Carr remains the superstar and he'll be leading the team tonight.
Ravens a nightmare matchup for Carr
With a new offensive line in place and a lot of uncertainty regarding the team's new protectors, Carr will have a difficult night against Baltimore.
No team has called for more blitzes than the Ravens in the last two years, with a blitz rate of at least 44% percent for Don Martindale's scheme. Last year, Carr threw for 22 touchdowns and four interceptions when he was kept clean in the pocket. When he was pressured, he threw five touchdowns and five interceptions.
His completion rate when clean was 73.8%. When he was pressured, it fell to 48.5%, a huge dropoff.
It's tough to see a scenario where the Raiders can keep Carr protected all day, as the offensive line will need some time to gel before they get into their best form. But an experienced quarterback like Carr should also be ready to make the best decisions with the ball and limit negative plays.
As things stand, Carr will take the field in the Raiders' Week 1 opener against the Ravens. Come Week 2, we should have an inkling of the abilities of the Raiders' offensive line.
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