Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly from week three loss to Miami

Ugly: Carr’s Decision Making

If there’s one theme to the season so far, it’s simple – what is up with Derek Carr’s decision making?

Through three games, Carr has been efficient, posting an Alex Smith-esque, 77 percent completion rate for 936 yards. But, he’s thrown just two touchdowns against five interceptions. Admittedly, one of those picks actually belongs to Amari Cooper, but the other four are all on Carr.

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And those four interceptions that he owns have been costly.

It’s fairly fair to say that Carr’s curious decision making has had a direct hand in two of Oakland’s three losses to start the season. Against the Rams, he put up a hat trick – one of his picks erasing what could have been a touchdown, and a momentum shifter, a second, turning into a pick six. That’s 14 points right there, gone because of poor judgment and/or a poorly thrown ball.

Against Miami, Carr made the fatal decision to throw up a 50/50 ball into the endzone – on first down, with the Raiders knocking on the door. On that drive, Miami’s defensive front was gassed. Marshawn Lynch and even Doug Martin, had been ripping off significant yardage.

And yet, from Miami’s 13-yard line, with the Raiders poised to take the lead, and three minutes left to play, Carr hoisted up an underthrown ball that Martavis Bryant had no shot at – he was perfectly boxed out by Miami corner Xavien Howard, who hauled it in, preserving the 21-17 lead at that point.

Miami’s final touchdown was just gravy, at that point. Carr’s pick pretty much sealed Oakland’s fate.

Granted, Carr is learning a new system under Jon Gruden – his fourth in five years. There are bound to be bumps in the road. Obviously. But, he’s also got to be more aware of the game situation, and he’s got to make better choices with the ball.

Unless his decision making improves, we’re going to see him throwing away a lot more games.