Several connections can be made when talking about the Raiders and the Patriots. There are many more when discussing Josh McDaniels. Things can go even further with Derek Carr and his time with the Silver and Black. But one stat links these three entities together at the hip in 2023.
The Raiders, Patriots, And Derek Carr Have A Lot In Common
Of the 32 teams in the NFL, 29 of them have scored more than 20 points in at least one game during the opening month (H/T Josh Dubow). I’ll give you one guess on who the three other teams are.
See where I’m going with this? The New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders stand above their peers in offensive incompetence. Now, context matters. Injuries have not been kind to any of the three, and the schedule hasn’t helped either. But how ironic is this?
Since McDaniels arrived in Sin City, he has brought in multiple former Patriots to play starter reps, including Jimmy Garoppolo and Jakobi Meyers. It is also worth mentioning that his general manager in Vegas, Dave Ziegler, is from the New England tree. The Patriot Way is truly taking over the Silver and Black locker room — for better or worse.
The Saints get roped into this conversation thanks to the addition of Derek Carr last offseason. After serving as the Raiders starting quarterback for nine seasons, the franchise released Carr and allowed him to choose his own landing spot on the open market. But before that, the Patriots were a rumored destination if Vegas was able to strike a deal.
Alas, a deal never materialized, and the Raiders ended up cutting ties, receiving nothing in return for the veteran signal-caller. Carr, hampered by a shoulder injury in Week 4, deserves praise for his toughness in playing through the ailment. But even before that injury, the 32-year-old struggled to cap off drives effectively against the Titans, Panthers, and Packers.
For further proof that the simulation is glitching, the Saints will travel to the upper northeast this weekend to take on Bill Belichick’s squad. If the first four weeks are any indication, expect it to be a struggle fest. First team to 17 wins!
Vegas Was Doomed No Matter Who Took Snaps As QB1
Now, to address the elephant in the room: The Raiders. The logic behind swapping Carr with Garoppolo was sound, at least analytically. In theory, “Jimmy G” is a better fit with McDaniels due to his increased accuracy and willingness to attack the seams of the defense.
However, football is about more than the raw completion percentage. It doesn’t matter how impeccable a quarterback’s ball placement is on 70 percent of the snaps if the other 30 percent looks like a drunk uncle at a Thanksgiving party. And that is exactly what Garoppolo has given Vegas in 2023.
I fell into the trap of believing that the former Patriot and 49er would be a significant upgrade over Carr for the organization. While I still believe Garoppolo is the better fit, it is hard to justify blowing up the roster just to have “Jimmy G” play such awful football.
But it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Carr, either. Truthfully, this Raiders roster did not have a chance, no matter who lined up behind center. And the offensive efficiency numbers back that up, as the Saints, Raiders, and Patriots all compete for the worst unit in the league.
*Top Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images