As the debate rages on Twitter over Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr yet again, many detractors have recently invoked the name of Rich Gannon. A Raider legend, has Carr done enough to be labeled as better than Gannon?
A Resume Built To Last
As mentioned, Rich Gannon is undoubtedly a Raiders legend. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the team’s history, he didn’t join the team until he was 34. From 1999-2002, Gannon was named to the Pro Bowl each year. In those four years, he threw for 15,787 yards, 105 touchdowns, and just 44 interceptions. Most importantly, his Raiders teams won. A lot. With 41 wins and just 23 losses over those four years, Raider Nation will always look at Gannon fondly. In 2002, he also helped take Oakland to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1984. While they would lose this game, it remains the Raiders’ biggest playoff success of the 2000s by a wide margin. He was also awarded the league MVP in 2002.
With a resume this vast, it would seem Gannon knows what he is talking about when it comes to playing quarterback. As such, when he Tweeted on Wednesday asking “What is the most important stat for a QB?” it invited many comments. Gannon, now an analyst for CBS, would answer his own question when he tweeted “Wins… period!” While many question whether wins are truly a QB stat, Raiders fans asked themselves a different question, is this a thinly veiled shot at Carr?
Carr has numbers as well
Since being drafted in 2014, Carr has been the Raiders’ starting quarterback. For almost as long, he has also been the most polarizing player on the team. In spite of this, in his eight years with the Raiders, he has thrown for 31,058 yards, 189 touchdowns, and just 82 interceptions. Both the yards and touchdowns are the most in the Raiders’ franchise history. In addition, he has been named a Pro Bowler three times. He has given the Silver and Black stability at the most important position in the game, something they have not had since the days of Gannon.
At the end of the day, as Gannon stated, wins are what matter the most. Is Carr totally responsible for the wins and losses of the Raiders? Absolutely not. However, the Raiders under Carr have a win-loss record of 54-70. They have also only made the playoffs once. Of course, Carr still has some time to add to these numbers.
Who cares?
The Raiders’ fanbase is a warzone right now. Some fans want Carr to stay a Raider for life and believe he is the future of the team that can take them back to the promised land. Others want him gone at the conclusion of the season, citing his passive play as a major reason why. Regardless, the Las Vegas Raiders are 7-7 and one game outside of a wild card spot. With all that has happened during this Raiders season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2016 would be an incredible accomplishment, and the fans should be excited. Instead, many are arguing on Twitter about whether the quarterback who last played in 2005 is better than the one who is playing now.
Simply, it doesn’t matter unless Gannon plans to suit back up and take the Raiders to the playoffs in 2021. While Gannon may be the more successful quarterback at this moment, Carr deserves the chance to finish his career before these comparisons are made.
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*Top Photo: Associated Press/Elaine Thompson
