Derek Carr’s final numbers will reflect a strong season.
The Raiders’ second-year quarterback is a Pro Bowl alternate, has a good chance to become the third player in team history with 4,000-plus passing yards and could set the franchise passing touchdown record with a big day Sunday.
A big game Sunday in the season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs could also offset a final month of the year that hasn’t been his best.
“I just want a win,” Carr said Wednesday. “My main goal is going in there and making sure we come out with the victory. I’ve had some big stat games that have resulted in losses, and that’s not why I play this game. I just want to go in and do what I can, do my part as the leader of the offense, of the team, help us any way we can to get a win.”
Carr needs 207 yards to hit the 4,000-yard mark and join Rich Gannon and Carson Palmer as the only Raiders to do so. With three touchdowns, Carr would match Daryle Lamonica’s passing touchdown record of 34. Six completions would move him past Andrew Luck for the most by a player through his first two NFL seasons.
Much of that should — and will — drown out his rough final stretch that goes back to the fourth quarter of Oakland’s Dec. 6 home game against the Chiefs. Carr threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter in which a 20-14 lead turned into a 34-20 loss. He has thrown as many interceptions (six) in the 138 pass attempts since that fourth quarter began as he did in the 402 before.
All of his numbers have taken a major hit. He brought a passer rating of 102.9 into that fourth quarter and has been at 60.4 since.
Carr had been completing 64.6 percent of his passes; he’s hit on only half (69 of 138) in the past 13 quarters. After averaging more than four touchdowns for every interception (26 to six), he has had five touchdowns against those six picks.
Raiders coach Jack Del Rio prefers to look at Carr’s work as a whole and likes what he has seen this year. The numbers as they stand — 3,793 yards, 31 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a rating of 92.0 — reflect a quality quarterback.
“I think he’s had a really strong year,” Del Rio said. “He’s nearing the franchise record for touchdowns thrown. He’s thrown for a bunch of yards. He’s done a great job bringing us back in several games. I think he’s had a really strong year. It’d be great to end that year on a strong note.”
Carr topped 300 yards passing in six of his first 11 games this season, but hasn’t done so since. But the Raiders have still won two of the last four games in which he has posted more pedestrian numbers and he remains a large reason they have a bright future.
While wins are rightfully his focus ahead of the numbers, his performances do weigh heavily. In Oakland’s seven wins, he has a passer rating of 107.8 with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. In the eight losses, he has 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a rating of 78.5.
Gaining consistency should be a focus of Carr as he prepares for his third NFL season next year, but it’s worth acknowledging where he and the Raiders have been strong. And with Carr’s numbers being complemented by a 1,000-yard rusher in Latavius Murray, a 1,000-yard receiver in Amari Cooper and possibly another in Michael Crabtree (112 yards away), the Raiders have hit some impressive milestones this season
“We don’t really think about it,” Carr said, “but it’s been cool. But I know myself and I know those guys, we want more. We want to do more.”
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