Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has been one of the most polarizing figures in team history, and it’s not even close. With that being said, he’s someone you want to see succeed in 2022, right?
Jim Trotter of NFL Media recently wrote a personal piece where he ranked 32 players that he’d personally root for in this upcoming season. While he makes a good point that journalists should be unbiased, there’s nothing wrong with wishing certain players success in the NFL, according to Trotter. When it comes to the Raiders, there’s one player that makes it easy to root for him: Derek Carr.
While many question his desire for a myriad of reasons, he’s been consistently good since his rookie year. He doesn’t own several Raiders’ passing records for no reason. In fact, fans will be happy to know that Carr could end up breaking other records this upcoming season. In particular, No. 4 can surpass the single-season touchdown record (34) and passing yards per game (293).
However, Carr has been on the receiving end of endless criticism on social media, year in and year out. With that in mind, Trotter made no bones about it.
“I’ve never seen a Pro Bowl-caliber QB more maligned by his own fans. You [have to] wonder if winning a Super Bowl would be enough to win them over.” – Jim Trotter on Raiders QB Derek Carr
All eyes (not just Raider Nation) will be on Derek Carr in 2022
One of the reasons that Carr has a legitimate shot at breaking those records is his offensive weaponry. Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller, Josh Jacobs, and Kenyan Drake. I mean, what more do you want? It seems every year is a “must-win” for Carr, but this season does carry that level of expectation. Even though Carr will have a new head coach and offensive coordinator, the fact that he is surrounded by so much talent (although the O-line is a bit of a question mark) puts more pressure on him than in years past.
As far as Trotter’s opinion goes, there are some issues with it. If you’re using social media to gauge support for Carr, your view will be skewed. Twitter and Facebook are both consistently divided on matters regarding Carr. Whether he’s throwing three touchdowns or speaking at his church and trying to motivate others, the man can’t win. Just log onto either application or you’ll see what I’m talking about. Nevertheless, the Raiders, and Raider Nation, want a Super Bowl more than anything. This new regime that’s taken over comes from the winningest NFL culture, and as they instill this into the Raiders’ psyche, nothing less than a championship is a failure.
Carr has outlived so many coaching changes but continues to flourish on the field. Sooner or later, he’s due for a break. Like Trotter, many are rooting for Carr based on all of that, and for the first time in his career, he appears to have a legitimate shot at trying to win the endgame.
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*Top Photo: Sports Illustrated