It's Baffling That People Are Defending Derek Carr Just Because He Cried Like A Baby In A Press Conference
Alright it's been a good amount of time and I still can't believe it. People are defending Derek Carr because of this? Because he cried? Because he sounded like he was auditioning for a movie with this rant about how he cares - also while somewhat admitting players are taking stuff to sleep and then throwing other people under the bus? Give me a fucking break. I went back and read our Matt Fitzgerald's blog on this. I figured he seems like he knows enough about the sport to put some blame on Derek Carr.
If you don't at least feel some empathy for Derek Carr, I don't want to be your friend. And I don't mean from, like, a lifestyle standpoint or whatever because he's a franchise quarterback who makes assloads of money. I'm talking about a man who's poured his guts out for a dysfunctional Raiders franchise in perpetual search of professional fulfillment and has just about jack shit to show for it.
Wait what the fuck? Empathy? Why? Because he's not good enough with Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams to beat the Colts? I don't feel any sort of empathy for a guy who is as average as average gets not winning enough. Don't get me wrong, the Raiders are a shitshow and will always be a shitshow, but let's not pretend like Derek Carr isn't part of the problem here.
Just this year alone Carr is 14th in yards, 24th in completion percentage, 11th in touchdowns, 15th in quarterback rating. That screams I'm an average quarterback and 100% part of the reason we don't have a ton of success. I know people will say Renfrow and Waller were hurt. Sure, they are the only two key players in the entire league that have missed time.
Look at his entire career!
A couple really good years. A bunch of really average years. Empathy? We're talking about a quarterback who has been down this road before:
Embrace it. Be the crying baby in each press conference. People will stick up for you like you've never fucked up if you cry. Again, Carr isn't the biggest problem with the Raiders but to completely absolve him because he cried about how much he cares is dumb as shit.
I see everyone talking about how he's been through hell with the organization. How they've failed him. How many draft picks they missed out on. Sure, the Raiders are the worst drafting team in the history of sports. But again, why aren't we putting any blame on a quarterback like we do every single quarterback in the league. If the Vikings lost to the Bills the narrative is 'Kirk Cousins can't win against a good team.' The Raiders couldn't beat the Colts and the narrative is 'Derek Carr is trying guys!'
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Sidenote - the whole rant is weird. He goes from talking about how guys are doing anything possible to sleep or practice. Then he ends it by calling out people in the locker room for not caring as much. A complete sideways turn.
Here's the truth - Derek Carr is (probably) a good person, an average to slightly above average quarterback who plays for a dysfunctional organization. But not putting any blame on him is downright stupid.