Derek Carr

Derek Carr Will Get Chance To Win At Arrowhead

There are many indicators to evaluate a quarterback’s performance. There’s one that has eluded Derek Carr: Winning at Arrowhead Stadium. He will have the opportunity to change the narrative in 2020.

Carr is one of the most polarizing players in recent Raiders history. He currently holds many team’s records but has folded in crucial moments. He grades fairly well when it comes to advanced statistics too, but winning divisional games has been difficult for the veteran signal-caller. More specifically, he hasn’t been able to beat the Chiefs in his career and has lost every single encounter he’s had at Arrowhead Stadium.

Carr holds a 0-6 record at Arrowhead. Wins aren’t solely a quarterback stat. In fact, it’s a team statistics, but the quarterback has a big influence in the outcome of every game. Rex Grossman proved it back in the day when linebacker Brian Urlacher lead the Bears defense. In spite of creating turnovers and even touchdowns on special teams, Grossman held them back and barely got away with a victory in a performance that triggered the late Dennis Green’s “Crown them” rant.

More recently, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had the chance to put the game away during the last Super Bowl. Instead, he overthrew a pass intended for receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Related: Noise Won’t Go Away Until Derek Carr Wins Big

A good defense can bail a quarterback and a potent running game can wear an opposing team. However, good quarterbacks always lead their team to victory in clutch moments. Carr hasn’t been able to win in Kansas City regardless of his supporting cast. Even in his 2016 MVP season, he came short at both the Coliseum and Arrowhead.

One of the reasons Carr hasn’t been able to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead is that his passer rating goes down in cold weather.

Maybe Carr needs hand warmers or thermal underwear, but he clearly is affected by the elements. To his advantage, the 2020 schedule shows the Raiders will face the Chiefs in Week 5. At that moment of the year, temperatures won’t plunge the way they do in December. Carr will go to Arrowhead knowing he won’t have to worry about the weather as much as he would if he played in Kansas City later in the season.

Moreover, Carr will have a plethora of new weapons at his disposal and the Raiders upgraded their defense this during the offseason. Having a better supporting cast in addition to friendlier weather should help the quarterback get his first win at Arrowhead.

The AFC West and the Super Bowl will run through the Chiefs this upcoming season. Carr will get a shot to beat them. It will be a good test to see whether he and the Raiders are contenders or pretenders.

You May Also Like: Raiders Newcomers Get Their Numbers

[pickup_prop id=”21952″]

Top Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Join The Ramble Email List

Share your thoughts here, Raider Nation...

error: Nice Try!
Subscribe to RaiderRamble

Get updates from RaiderRamble via email:

Join 5,853 other subscribers