Oakland Raiders: Keys To Victory Over New York Jets

Oct 25, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes during the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Smart Play Required

Against a ball hawking defense and corners as solid as Revis and Cromartie, Derek Carr is going to have to play one of the best games of his young career if he’s going to put his team in a position to have some success.

He’s really blossomed so far this year, throwing for almost 1,500 yards on 66 percent passing, and he’s thrown eleven touchdowns against just three interceptions. He’s been smart and efficient with the ball, and he’s shown that he has a powerful arm with a lot of touch as well. Carr is well on his way to becoming one of the league’s best with some saying he’s already in the top ten.

That being said, this Jets defense is brutal. And we all saw that against a top ranked passing defense that Carr has struggled a bit. Against the Broncos in week five, Carr went 26 of 39 for 249 yards with a touchdown and a costly pick-six that ended Oakland’s chances against their division foe.

In that game, Carr and the offense struggled to move, gaining just 288 yards for the entire day. They also had two lost fumbles and two missed field goals. But it was Carr, who was also sacked four times, and his receivers that couldn’t build or sustain any offensive momentum against a stout Denver defense.

Next: Raiders: Notes and Observations From Week 7

If the Raiders truly are on the verge of climbing their way back to respectability – and of even challenging for a playoff spot this season – they are going to need to find ways to compete and have success against some of the league’s top defenses.

And that starts with Carr. He is going to have to put this offense on his back, be smart, be efficient, and make some plays.

If he wants this win, he can’t just sit back and hope for it, he’s going to have go take it from the Jets.