Las Vegas Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr Week 15 Update

The Las Vegas Raiders are desperate for a win this weekend versus the New England Patriots and quarterback Derek Carr discusses it.

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders (5-8) are ready to take on the New England Patriots (7-6) this weekend as they return to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr spoke about the state of the Silver and Black and looked ahead to this weekend's game.

You can watch the entire interview below and read the transcript:

Quarterback Derek Carr

Q: You guys talk about when the game is over, you move on to the next one. After the loss to the Chargers, the locker room was in a different mood. Is it more difficult to move on after something like that?

Carr: “Yeah, I think having a Thursday game and having those extra days was good for the team. I think after the little win streak that we went on, the expectations are so high. We see how hard it is to do it right all the time, and not that you want to say you have it figured out, but it was like: 'Man, we're getting the system down. We're getting things down.’ Knowing that it's pro football, sometimes that's going to happen and you're going to be flat one time, and it's not going to be what it should have been. I think that because of the expectation, because of the success we had prior to that, you felt that everyone was pissed off a little bit, and rightfully so. Honestly, I was much more pleased with that reaction than I was with a different reaction earlier in the season. So, to see that means people care."

Q: With how the season has gone, there's been a lot of speculation about your future. But when you're in the season, do you pay attention to that? Do you kind of think about what could be next for you?

Carr: “To be honest, during the season, I don't. I've always tried my best to, as I've gotten older in my career, just eliminate all of those things. Gru [Jon Gruden] would always tell me, he said: 'All of those things are going to happen when you play quarterback in NFL.’ Whenever you have a bad stretch of games, or a losing stretch of games, or anything like that, that stuff is going to happen. And so, for me, I don't. I should have been traded for eight years now. (laughter) It is what it is. We have passionate fans, and we have passionate people who just want to see us win. And so, when we don't, obviously they get mad, and they think: 'Oh, we got to fix something,' and stuff like that. And you can understand that as fans. But this is the most complex game in the world and so sometimes you've just got to understand our opinions really don't matter. There are facts that you're trying to learn from Coach, and we're trying to do the systems right, and you just try your best as an athlete just to keep your eye on what you're supposed to do and what you can control. And so, that's how I've always been. As I've gotten older, it's been, I would say, definitely easier because once you've heard it once, I've heard it a million times. I was supposed to be gone, like I said, eight years ago, and I'm still here."

Q: With you guys potentially getting Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow back this week, it's really the first time since Week 2 that you potentially have all your skill position guys out there. How big is this last four-game stretch to show what you guys maybe could have done over the course of an entire season if you had that group together?

Carr: “My hope is that they get to play whenever they're allowed to, whenever they get more reps and get their reps in practice. That's up to coach and that's up to [Chris] Cortez and everybody. For me, I would love to be able to see what it could be like and if we can just start getting better and see what that looks like. See what it looks like when everyone's there and what we planned on it looking like. That would be nice, but it's the NFL, and it doesn't always work out that way."

Q: There are a lot of playoff scenarios and things that would have to happen, but does that glimmer of 'It's not over,' does that still drive you guys that there's still a possibility?

Carr: “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, as competitors, there's absolutely still the possibility. I mean, we had five percent chance last year, or whatever it was. So, crazier things have happened. But none of that even matters unless we take care of today and win this week. And playing against the Patriots, Bill Belichick, and their staff and all the players that they have, that’s not an easy task. So, for us, if we want all those things, we can hope for and all that. But we have to be able to put in the work this week to make sure that happens."

Q: You said in the past a lot how much you enjoyed watching the Patriots’ offense when Josh McDaniels was there and you took things away from it. You've had almost a full year with him now. I'm wondering now at this point, where has he kind of lived up to the expectations that you thought? And where has it been just totally different?

Carr: “I mean, it's a different system than I've ever been in, for sure. But once you're in it, you see why they've been so successful. I think the most impressive thing that I've seen is – with all the injuries to the skill guys and all of those things – the plan that he had in place, watching him maneuver that plan and then try and score points and win games without what he thought was going to be there for the six months prior to that. Again, no one really cares unless you win, but watching what he's been able to do with that and how tough it's been on him to try and figure those things out, you see why they won so much when they were there."

Q: What are some things that you guys feel like you can do to get better in the Red Zone? How much does the return of Darren Waller or Hunter Renfrow help in that area?

Carr: “Absolutely. I mean, for sure those things would help if they were out there, which you hope that they could be. But it just really comes down to us as players doing things better. We broke down all the plays in the Red Zone and it's clear, like if we do this, if you do this and you do this, and Josh [McDaniels], he's always told it like it is. And you can't leave that meeting and be like: 'Man, it's not that.' It's obvious. So, when we sit there as leaders, and we see it, you try your best to push those guys or yourself, whoever coach is talking to that we have to do those things right if we want to be better these last four games."

Q: When you look at the Patriots defense, who have you noticed kind from the defensive front specifically and the kind of different things they do up there?

Carr: "Oh, man. They're very powerful inside. They do a great job setting the edge on defense, trying to take away those edge runs and those kinds of things. They're really good at that. They do a good job in the two-gap world, taking on double teams. Like I said, powerful guys on the inside with quick, twitchy, strong guys on the outside who can set an edge, can get to the quarterback, can jump inside, can go outside and go through you. Very versatile linebackers in that sense. They can drop, they can rush, they can cover. They can do a lot of things. And so, very multiple, and whenever you have good players like they have with arguably the best coach to ever do it scheming them up and put them in positions to do things, it's a tough task."

Q: You mentioned the different reactions after previous games compared to after last game. You guys responded really well after the loss to the Colts. Do you think that you guys can kind of respond the same way now?

Carr: “I do. It's because of the urgency to win, the urgency to want to do it right, the urgency to do the right things. There was no other thought process than just doing football better. And I think that we've narrowed that focus on what it should be. And so, yeah. Two different responses, but it's on that same track that we want it to be, for sure."

The Raiders return to Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, when they host the New England Patriots. That game will kick off at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST and can be seen on FOX.

Watch the Silver and Black live when you get your Raiders tickets from SI Tickets HERE.

Please tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.