Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I've seen many people talk about how this guy isn't top-level talent. I don't think people realize what a death sentence the raiders are for QBs. Yet, somehow, this guy still performed. When I watch this guy, he checks all the boxes for me. I think he's a lot better than people think he is and will be one of the top QBs in the league this year. He's Drew Brees 2.0.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I agree with all of that.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I feel exactly the same hitta. Now Saints need to get the Oline squared away, our weapons need to be available and the defense doing what the do best hold our opponents to 24 points or less.

That said and it comes to pass there we’ll be a lot of recalibration by Talking Heads but I’m sure they will explain to all of us how they were calling his resurgence as a top tier NFL QB all along we just missed it. 🤣 These guys like to go straight to pinnacle top opinions, great or not worthy no middle ground.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Because Carmichael needs to get his act together I think we need to pump the brakes a little. But I hope long term you are right.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

This requires Dennis Allen or Pete Carmichael to be a sharper offensive mind than Jon Gruden. I am skeptical of that. Cities don't throw footballs or design plays, QBs and coaches do.

The Raiders once signed a mid-career QB who had shown promise with the Saints, under the premise that the Saints were a death sentence for QBs, and up until a rocky final year, this young Saints QB had always performed so all he needed was a change in scenery to shine. The Raiders had a recent history of strong QB production, but their Super Bowl QB had retired and their offensive guru coach had moved on to another conference. Yet, the Raiders felt sure that even with a less proven coach, they could take a QB who had been good, if inconsistent, with the Saints and make him a star in Oakland given their franchises better track record at the QB position. They felt that merely the luster of their city, and the jokes about the franchise this QB had come from, would be enough to turn a QB around who had begun to show signs of fading. That QB was Aaron Brooks. It turned out that the Saints being a death sentence of QBs was not Brooks only problem, and whatever truth their might have been to the sentence, it had already been carried out and the product was DOA.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

It really depends upon the ones you happen to hear. I've heard several that have been touting him as greatly underrated and a perfect fit for the Saints. Most of them have been ex-QB's. Drew Brees can be counted as among them. Perhaps the most important among them.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I believe giving Carmichael both Thomas and Carr will do wonders with getting his act together.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

My concern with Carr is there was a big decline in his performance in 2022, compared to 2018-2021. I didn't follow the Raiders close enough to understand why numbers dropped so bad, I guess all we can hope for is he is good moving forward.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Just curious if the Raiders were a death sentence to Jamarcus Russell too ?!?

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

He certainly has all the physical tools. Intangibles like high character and leadership.

If healthy, this team should win 10 games and possibly host a playoff game.

But I'll caution just as I did last year - so much change in one offseason usually means much of the season can be spent building rapport on and off the field. Don't expect instant success...

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Jamarcus Russell was a death sentence to Jamarcus Russell.:needle:

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I think once he got his payday he checked out. It would have taken a really stable organization to keep JR on the right path. I seem to remember him quickly gaining weight and being out of shape. That was a while ago though!

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Jamarcus Russell was going through a lot of personal issues when he got to the NFL, and he was self-medicating on codeine which makes you put on weight. The Raiders organization definitely played a part in his downward spiral. He also had Lane Kiffin as his coach, definitely not NFL material. WR's? An old Joey Porter, Ronald Curry, Tim Dwight, and Johnnie Lee Higgins. Running Backs? Lamont Jordan and Justin Fargas. That was a bad Raiders teams that sent of Randy Moss the year he got there. The fact he never got an opportunity to be a backup anywhere else was odd to me as well. All I'm saying is the Raiders organization is tragic.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Drew Brees 2.0? I hope you're right. I'm having a hard time believing that. Especially since our oc hasn't proven he can bring out the best in the offense.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

It’s rare when Oakland HASN’T been tragic. That’s why I don’t necessarily hold DA or Carr’s performance with the Raiders against them.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Not sure if you caught his latest interview (the name of the show escapes me) with Ryan Clark/Fred Taylor but it was interesting.

There were also "claims" that the Raiders didn't think he was studying game film, so they sent him home with "blank tapes" to evaluate. The following day they asked him to explain what he saw and apparently he had no response.

We all have our battles and LIFE is hard but even at LSU, I had my doubts about JR's work ethic.

The measurables, talent & ability were there, but so much more is needed to succeed in the NFL. Preparation is crucial. Especially at QB.

But yeah, the Raiders really sucked as an organization and had very little support system in place.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

One could argue that the Saints / Saints QBs have been more of a train wreck at the QB position than the Raiders historically.

All the Saints success with quarterbacks was with Drew Brees. Archie Manning wasted away on hopeless teams. Bobby Hebert and his lacklucker offensive cast held back an elite defense and never won a playoff game. Aaron Brooks flashed stats immediately but along with his useless head coach, never developed further. The entire Saints history is a train wreck at QB outside of Drew Brees.

The Raiders won 3 Superbowls with two Quarterbacks, Ken Stabler and Jim Plunket, and had a third quarterback who won a conference championship and NFL MVP, Rich Gannon. In general, quarterbacks have found more success with the Raiders than with the Saints, allowing for only one exception.

The same could be said for head coaches. One Saints head coach has won a playoff game past the wild card level. Two Raiders head coaches have won a total of three Super Bowls and a third has appeared in a Super Bowl.

Maybe Derek Carr will be better than ever. Maybe Dennis Allen will last. But I don't think it will be because the Raiders are some special NFL twilight zone. Outside the Payton/Brees era, the Saints are worse.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

That’s a big era.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

There is the Saints before The Benson Family ERA and with The Benson Family since 1985.

The Saints have been thru tuff times during during both. Mickey Loomis was hired in 2002 by the Benson’s and is now the longest tenured GM in NFL. I feel it accurate to say that Loomis’s hiring marked a seismic change in the day to day operations of the Saints football operations and philosophy.

It would be hard to dispute that under Benson ownership and Mickey Loomis years as GM/Head of Football Operations the Saints have been one of NFL’s most well run, stable and successful football operations.

Since Loomis hired Payton they have .631 wining record, 7th overall in the NFL since 2006.

:chug:

To use “Colin right Colin wrong” we will all see where our personal insight and opinion fall out next January 2024. It will be interesting no doubt.

On CGJ it’s his 3rd team in less than 9 months … gone and long forgotten.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Pretty much all of the Raiders success happened 40 years ago. Their glory days and our failures are in the past. I was born in 1990. The Saints have been winning most of my life.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

My nephew turns 40 this summer. He lived 25 years growing up 20 miles from the Colosseum and has been a Raiders fan all his life. He certainly would say the Saints have been (and are) a superior run franchise. Davis is not highly regarded among fans.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Davis seemed to assume that a guy who can run a 4.3 40 would become an elite receiver, or if a guy can throw the ball 100 yards that he would be the next great QB. For all the right draft picks and moves they made in the past, it's very puzzling how in Al Davis' later years they got so bad at it.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Last year was a huge disappointment for Saint fans. This year watch us sneak up on the NFL. We've got better weapons than in recent years and we are going to shock a whole lot of people. :bugeyes:

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

https://media.tenor.com/zPn9Oguf1dQA...will-smith.gif


I always get my hopes up this time of year. I've got to keep my expectations low... it's for my health.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I know what you mean about low expectations. The last couple of years my hopes have been high and I suffered the whole year watching my Saints struggle. On the bright side, at least I didn't bet on them to win the Super bowl. :p

This year just feels different than the last couple of disappointing seasons. I feel enthusiastic about the off season moves and I'm anticipating another strong draft. Maybe it's my youthful expectations. I'm only 64 and was born an optimist. Give me good play calling and good health. This team can stand toe to toe with anyone and win curb stomp them after we win. jk

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Shaheed was nervous about the QB situation. Most fans were too. I know I was praying for a miracle. We've got Carr now and the team looks motivated to get behind him. Let's go win the south.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Not to nitpick, but The line Shaheed used was ““I was kind of antsy to find out who was going to be our quarterback,”.

That seems a normal emotion to me. I read that as not so much he was dissatisfied with last year, but excited to see what/who they would have this year.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Pete Carmichael now has Olave, Shaheed, Taysom Hill, MT (assuming he is 100 at some point this season) Jamaal, Juwan & DCarr + player "X" (possibly on offense) in the draft.

No excuses for Allen in a very weak NFC South division.

But then again, all teams look good on paper.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Yeah, but we look good getting off the bus too.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

All this under the assumption that injuries are not going to be insane for the upteenth year in a row.

SFIAH

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Which is why I'm against trading away draft picks for a player we covet. We can field a good team of starters, but we lack solid depth to make a playoff run.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

NSFW...

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Depth can be and commonly is achieved via free agency ... both veteran and undrafted. I seriously doubt trading a couple of mid to late round picks is going to hamper depth. You can have 20 picks in the draft and it still wouldn't guarantee quality depth.

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

I beg to differ. Veteran mid-level free agents are cheap, but they aren't usually dynamic. Sure, you need an influx of free agents like DeMario Davis to round out the roster. With the limited salary cap available because of our cap management, I would rather get younger and cheaper players with higher ceilings who were drafted to fit the system.

The Saints have had good drafts because they trade up for players who they covet and give away valuable first, second, third, and fourth round draft picks to move up for them. Jeff Ireland is good at drafting both starters and role players and needs more ammo to work with in the mid rounds where the odds are better.

The flip side is that they team doesn't have the players to develop in each draft except for premier talent and UDFA's. The result is fewer 2nd day picks to fill out the roster and very little depth. The FO wants to fill out the rosters with other teams' cuts and cast offs that might fit the system rather than being able to select players from their board on draft days.

The third and fourth round are extremely important and the ability to find starters in each round is where Jeff Ireland prospers and yet we give those picks away every year. I'm fine with trading away late round picks to move up to the mid rounds for players that are still available. It's the same draft strategy the Loomis has always followed. So, why give away those draft picks moving up when we draft so well in the mid rounds?

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

That's basically what I'm saying, Rugs. There's little difference between what you can hope to find in the 6-7 rounds and in vet or rookie free agency as far as depth. Turn those late rounders into mid-rounders. Maybe use one of those newly gained mid-rounders to move up a bit to get what you covet in the higher rounds.

Speaking of rounds ...

:beer:

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Don't forget about UDFA and the last wave of free agency. Still many household names available...

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Singing my song there.

:band:

Re: Derek Carr is going to shock the world
 

Do you really want to build your roster out of a few high draft picks and UDFA's? It has made us perennial winners but we struggle in the playoffs without better depth. Give me more picks in the middle of the draft and watch Jeff Ireland do his thing. Incidentally, we seem to struggle more with first round draft picks than our second-round picks, which Ireland has been nailing in the draft since he came here.