Raiders coach Jon Gruden came out of the team’s season-opening loss looking for a way to boost the team’s pass rush and a way to get wide receiver Amari Cooper going after Cooper caught one pass against the Rams.
His list of concerns does not include the guy charged with throwing the ball to Cooper. Derek Carr was 29-of-40 for 303 yards and three interceptions in the 33-13 loss and Gruden said Monday that he credited the Rams defense with keeping the quarterback from doing more.
“I don’t have any doubts that Derek Carr is going to be great,” Gruden said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I can’t wait to get started and get ready for the Broncos. There were a few plays [where] uncharacteristically he wasn’t at his best. Sometimes you have to credit [defensive coordinator] Wade Phillips; you have to credit the defense. They gave us multiple looks. They have some talented people out there. It’s just disappointing, but I think knowing how good Derek is, it gives us hope that we can get it all solved.”
Carr was sharper in the first half than the second on Monday night and other teams will surely take a look at what the Rams did in the final two quarters when devising their own plan to deal with Carr. The talent level will fluctuate, but the Raiders will till need to figure out ways to avoid similar outcomes.