Derek Carr: Is The Raiders’ Quarterback The NFL MVP?


Oakland Raiders (6-2) quarterback Derek Carr proved his worth by attempting 59 passes and not throwing a single interception in last week’s overtime win versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5).

His 513 yards against the Buccaneers set a new franchise record, and Carr became only the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 500 yards without an interception. It also won him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week and the Castrol Edge Clutch Player of the Week.

With eight games left in the season, Carr could add the NFL MVP honor to his resume. The 2014 second-round pick is on pace to pass for 4,642 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions. Carr would be the first Raiders quarterback to win the award since Rich Gannon in 2002.

Thus far, Derek Carr earned NFL MVP consideration thanks to his first eight games that included 2,321 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Pro Football Focus also ranks Carr in the top five quarterbacks.

The 25-year-old is completing about 66.3 percent of his passes with a passer rating of 100.9, while his team is tied for first place in the AFC West. His team is off to a 6-2 start in the first half of the NFL season, which is Oakland’s best start since 2002.

Sports Illustrated makes Carr’s case for MVP by pointing out that his -9 percent interception rate is among the best in the league. Furthermore, Carr is 5-0 on the road and he leads an Oakland offense that is top five in yards.

ESPN points out that Carr’s completion percentage and total QBR have both substantially improved since he entered the league. His off-target throws have also gone down from 28.2 percent in 2015 to 22.2 percent this season. Some of the credit for Carr’s success goes to the Raiders offensive line that allows the fewest sacks and the receivers that have the most yards after contact.

Additionally, The Ringer argues that Carr is among the brightest young quarterbacks. He is a large reason why Oakland ranks fourth in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA which measures a team’s success compared to an average NFL offense.

How does Carr feel about the MVP hype?

“Halfway through the year, it means nothing,” Carr said earlier this week. “But it’s cool to be, as a little kid thinking about those kinds of things, that’s cool. But that’s probably where it ends for me.”

Carr said he would rather not hear anything about MVP talk. Instead, he prefers just hanging out with his family. However, Derek Carr knows it is part of the quarterback’s job.

Other names listed as potential NFL MVPs include Ezekiel Elliott, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan.

Brady and Ryan both have better statistics than Derek Carr. However, Brady missed the first four games with suspensions. Moreover, ESPN‘s Paul Gutierrez questions if those guys compare to Carr when it comes to being clutch enough to help his team win this season.

Still, there is room for debate in the NFL MVP race because there are eight games to be played for Oakland.

USA Today‘s Steven Ruiz argues that Raiders’ real MVP is the entire offensive line. He points out that Carr faces the least amount of pressure in the league, so his good pass protection masks his weakness. The article says that Carr would take more sacks and failed screen-plays if the offensive line did not give him many manageable third downs. Oakland’s standout offensive line play is one of the biggest arguments against Derek Carr as NFL MVP.

Furthermore, Sports Illustrated points out that Carr’s play is not a top-tier quarterback, yet. The article says that Carr’s accuracy diminishes on routine throws thanks to uneven drop-back footwork. Film also shows that Carr does not always read the entire field. He also gets impatient and misses open receivers, according to Sports Illustrated.

Granted, Carr ranks 19th in yards per completions. That means there is some truth to Carr being overly conservative at times.

The Oakland Raiders and Derek Carr face the Denver Broncos (6-2) on Nov. 6 for Sunday Night Football. Carr can cement his status as MVP with a statement win over their AFC West rivals, who are also tied for first place in the division. Otherwise, Derek Carr has plenty of time to hurt or help his case for NFL MVP.

Will Derek Carr win the NFL MVP award?

[Featured Image by Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Images]

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