Derek Carr Is So Safe, He's Dangerous

What’s behind Derek Carr’s breakout season for the Raiders? Just look at the line in front of him.

- Mina Kimes

GO BACK TO WEEK 1. RAIDERS VS.. SAINTS.

It’s the beginning of the fourth quarter, and Oakland is losing 24-13. Third-year quarterback Derek Carr takes a snap, drops back a few steps and then surveys the field—calmly, like a father waiting for his children to appear on the steps of their school. After a moment passes, he slings a beautifully arced pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has somehow crept behind the Saints’ secondary. It’s a 43-yard gain and another highlight-reel throw from Carr.

Now go back and watch again. Instead of waiting for Carr to release the ball, pay attention to everything that happens beforehand. Watch the Raiders’ tackles shoot their arms out and manhandle their defenders, while the guards refuse to cede an inch. Watch the chasm that opens up between the offensive line and the quarterback, an expanse of green that never seems to close. Watch the clock as the seconds tick by.

That’s what Derek Carr remembers from that day. The time and the space and, more than anything, the smacking of pads and the crunching of bones and the terrible cries of mountain-sized men being knocked around by his blockers. He remembers dropping behind his offensive line as thunderous collisions unfolded in front of him, bearing witness to a level of violence that still leaves him awestruck.

“You can see it on film and you can see it on TV and you can see it in person,” he says. “But when you’re behind it?”

Behind 10-foot eyelashes, his blue eyes widen.

“You can hear it.”