Derek Carr has a franchise-quarterback contract. But he’s not putting in a franchise-quarterback performance this year. And he’s willing to take the blame -- which apparently becomes easier to do with a $25 million-per-year deal.
“Put it all on me,” Carr told reporters on Wednesday. “It all starts with me. And I’ve got to do better for our team and our execution to win.”
Carr admitted that he was upset after Sunday’s 26-15 loss to the Chiefs, an outcome that looks much better than the 26-0 score before the Raiders finally found some points.
“I was, and I think rightfully so,” he said of his foul mood. “I think we’re all pretty upset. If you’re not, then you’re obviously not putting enough into it. If you want to point a finger or those kind of things, I don’t think that that’s right, either. If you’re upset with yourself and you’re upset that you didn’t win the game, I still stand by how I felt, man. I was hot, to be honest. I put way too much effort into this to go out there and not play my best. Because I was prepared, saw their coverage easily. All those things, like I said after the game, I still stand by it. But, yeah, I was definitely upset but my wife and kids did a good job of reining me back.”
But while Carr didn’t specifically point fingers, he generally blames offensive issues on a lack of attention to detail.
“I think that’s been a difference the whole year, to be honest,” Carr said. “Details of things have definitely been a thing for our team. I don’t know defensively, I just speak on the offensive side because that’s all I know. On the offensive side is the details of things is probably the biggest part.”
That explanation seems to underscore criticism of offensive coordinator Todd Downing, who replaced Bill Musgrave and who has struggled in the role. Some believe Downing eventually will join now-former defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. when the season ends. The real question is whether owner Mark Davis will decide to take decisive action against the person who hired both coordinators, and whose team has underachieved in 2017.