No one was more vocal in their support of Derek Carr when the Dave Ziegler-Josh McDaniels regime began in Las Vegas than McDaniels himself. Despite saying all the right things in front of a camera and microphone, it was painfully obvious something was not right within the Raiders organization.
@YourboyQ254 Dropping Bombs about those New Saints band wagon fan’s favorite QB #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/snPGyrMOGN
— Tier (@TierRaiders22) August 2, 2023
Las Vegas Raiders: The Unfiltered Truth
Q. Meyers, host of the Locked On Raiders podcast, received some information from trusted sources about how things used to run in training camps under Jon Gruden. On his Podcast, he implied quarterback Derek Carr’s confidence and fortitude were so easily shakeable that defenders were told not to pick him off in camp practice. Additionally, Carr lived in a red jersey, meaning he is off-limits; don’t touch.
There is an expression: “Practice makes perfect.” Professional athletes are creatures of habit. Unfortunately for the defense, they may have been forced into practicing bad habits.
Gruden had a lifetime supply of passes to give Carr. Whether it was because they were neighbors or because Carr was just his guy, Gruden allegedly never criticized him in front of his teammates. The former Raiders head coach gave the impression Carr could do no wrong, even choosing him over Tom Brady the year he won the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay.
Perhaps that is what made the relationship between Carr and Josh McDaniels destined to fail. The New England Patriots, the most successful franchise in the last 20 years, have won with the code, “Do your job.”
KJ Wright is spot on about Carr pic.twitter.com/SyXgXJEq9P
— Arturo Castro Jr (@CastroArty) January 13, 2023
Not getting it done
Former Raiders linebacker, Super Bowl champion, and Legion of Boom member K.J. Wright had harsh criticism of Carr’s career. While expressing his affection and admiration for Carr, the man, he categorized his career as mediocre. Wright even went as far as hypothesizing the reason for the split between Carr and McDaniels is that after nine years in Las Vegas and Oakland, he just didn’t win enough.
Just Win Baby is not the same as just doing your best. In a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league, no job is safe from underproduction. The NFL Top 100 list has been unveiled, and it doesn’t have Carr’s name on it anywhere. What’s more indicative of the poor season he had is the fact that Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs were voted the 13th and 12th best players in the league, respectively.
Analysts, fans, and talk-show hosts have been quick to point the finger at Josh McDaniels, citing what happened in Denver during his brief stint with the Broncos and drawing comparisons. But what happened in 2022 was more than just the fault of the Raiders head coach.
This is gonna be lightning ?? rod but, it feels like their has been a serious culture change with the #Raiders & Jimmy G . It’s just my opinion but, I think Carr lost his confidence with the injuries & lost the locker room in Washington in 2017. Also, if Def wasn’t allowed to…
— ??.G._Todd_Munday (@Raider_Strong) August 2, 2023
One of the guys
The vibe and mood in training camp appear to have changed for the better. Leaders step up when they are needed most, and multiple players are answering the call. Football is the ultimate team sport, and no one person is above the team. At least, not on any successful team.
Praise has been in abundance and freely flowing when describing Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo is a true leader, at least that’s what his former teammates say about the now-Raiders quarterback. Is he perfect? The answer would be no. But to a man on any football team he’s played for, he has their respect. Why? Because earning it is a priority for him, not just because the position demands it.
Being a great teammate isn’t the same as being one of the guys. The guys hold each other accountable, they battle together and win. That is the current vibe coming out of training camp.
*Top Photo: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Carr played for quite a few head coaches and played well, why the big drop underMcDummy?? For whatever the reason they just didn’t mesh. That was quite obvious during games last year.
McDummy has had the same issue with other players in the past.
Isn’t it great the difference a year makes! Last year the 49ers were trying to off load Jimmy G and the messages coming out of that organization mirrored the character assassination the Raiders brass laid on Carr at the end of last season. Now suddenly he’s respected and ‘a true leader’. The truth, both with Carr and Jimmy G, lies somewhere in the middle, between the character assassination they suffered from their now former team brass and what’s being said by their current teams.
And the character assassination of Carr continues. He ‘lived in a red jersey’! Has the genius who wrote that looked at the photos from this year’s camp? Jimmy G is ‘living in a red jersey’, as are the other QBs, and it was Maxx, not Jimmy, who was punished when things got a bit intense between the two of them!
Maxx was “punished” for jumping offsides… Pay more attention…
What poor journalism. If Gruden protected Carr, then explain all the articles last year about Carr not throwing picks in camp. Cant wait for jg to fall flat on his face. Joshie boy wont have anyone to scapegoat this year. Ive been a fan of the raiders for 45 years but i have started to hate how this organization has blamed every failure on derek carr. When the saints make the playoffs and the raoders go 4-13 I will enjoy it.
This is not the post of a true fan ?
After 45 years, the last 20 being one bad hire after another, I can no longer support this level of incompetence. You know mcdaniels will fail, but Simple Jack mark davis will let him destroy the franchise before he fires him. Al would have already fired this front office and probably disowned his son for last year. It seem like they are tanking to me
Im entering my 54th year of fandom. And I’m with you. I still want the Raiders to win. But McDaniels makes it hard to continue to cheer for the Raiders. He is a richard plain and simple that does not have the respect of his players (Based on the anynomoous players pole) or most of the fans.
I will follow the Saints this year and hope they do well – solely because of Derek Carr. I won’t enjoy it if the Raiders stink it up yet again but I certainly will enjoy watching Derek Carr do well.
Another “journalist” carrying the water for McDaniels so they can get interviews. Get real. Let Carr go already. He did nothing but support this Franchise his entire career. McDaniels is a failed head coach. Look at his record. The Raiders were a playoff team in 2021 and Carr was the reason why. Then they added Davonte Adams and it was Carr who made THAT happen. So they abandon the coach who got them there in 2021, destroy team chemistry and tank. It wasn’t Carr who lost all the leads in 2022. The games the Raiders did win was because Carr changed plays at the line while Micky D. fumed on the sidelines. I won’t knock the new QB…that would be going down the same road this article does. This season will be another train wreck, but hey, you’ll get your interviews with Josh.
Again here is the Raider Ramble hating nonstop on Derek Carr. Who cares what KJ Wright thinks? This site spends a large chunk of its time denigrating Derek Carr. The Patriots 20 year do your job mantra coincided with Tom Brady. Not Bellichek or McDaniels or any of the other Patriot coaches who have stunk it up elsewhere – including Bellichekwith the Browns. Anyone remember that?
Take away Tom Brady (and Walt Coleman) and the Patriots would have been where they started and where they are now. Mediocre. Sort of like the Raider Ramble.
This is a “ Hit” piece, trying to justify moving on from Carr, pathetic attempt. The Saints say Thank You
Carr was Top 100 the year before McD got here. In fact, Carr had his worst season since his rookie year under Josh, which is really saying something considering the parade of coaches and OCs he’s had in this utterly dysfunctional franchise.
The Niners thought so highly of Jimmy they: Traded 3 first round picks to draft his replacement; Shopped him to every NFL team for almost nothing, with no takers; Cut him and re-signed him at backup money.
Why did the Raiders pay Jimmy 25 mil per season when he signed for 6 mil last year? Who were they bidding against? Why don’t these intrepid Ramble reporters ask real questions?
Exactly. JimmyG has throw 6 interceptions in two practices this week. Wait till they can’t get the ball to #17. Josh is a fraud.
you’re not a Raider fan, you’re a Carr fanboy… kick rocks
Brilliant post DMAC. Because the elite folks at Raider Ramble are professional and objective. Instead of accurate and honest journalism they editorialize. Post from RR in mid October. “Even though the Raiders are 1-6 and JG has 4 TD and 11 picks, and is now out for 4 to 6 weeks he is an improvement over Derek Carr who is the worst qb in the history of the NFL. Back in 2018……….”
And I’m being generous by saying the Raiders have 1 win at that point. They may not……