5 Ways the Raiders Have Gotten the Best from Derek Carr in 2020

The Las Vegas Raiders are 5-3 at the halfway point of their season, in position to earn a playoff spot. And quarterback Derek Carr continues to play some of the best ball of his career.

Carr is on pace for 4,000-plus yards and 32 touchdowns with just four interceptions. That's despite a number of injuries to key offensive linemen and one of the league's toughest schedules.

So, how are things coming along in Jon Gruden's complex offense? And what does it mean for the Raiders as their schedule gets easier and players potentially return from injuries?

Here's a look at five factors that show how Las Vegas continues to get superb play from Carr.

Injuries to the offensive line notwithstanding, the Raiders keep on cruising in the running game.

Josh Jacobs, a 2019 first-round pick, has tallied 588 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 73.5 yards per game on 3.7 yards per carry.

While it'd be nice to see him creep over four yards per carry, opponents know he's coming and haven't been able to stop him often enough. Certain game scripts haven't helped, such as his mere 10 totes in a 45-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.

Don't forget Devontae Booker, as he's carried the ball just 33 times but ripped off three gains of 20-plus yards on a 6.8 average. In Week 9, a 31-26 win at the Los Angeles Chargers, he turned eight looks into 68 yards and a score, while Jacobs had 14 for 65 and one touchdown.

It's common knowledge that an effective committee approach can benefit a quarterback. Carr is facing defenses that are potentially more prone to biting on fakes with more guys in the box. And on a much simpler note, he's simply not being asked to do it all by himself.

The Raiders rank ninth in rushing yards per game with 131.3.

Here's a good example of how the offense around Carr has worked as intended.

A year ago, tight end Darren Waller was the team's leading receiver, catching 90 passes for 1,145 yards and three scores. That seemed like a knock on Carr, who didn't have eye-popping numbers, as well as the roster itself with its lack of a top wideout.

But things have changed.

Waller is red-hot again, leading the team with 50 catches for 394 yards and adding four scores. His 71 targets are far and away the most as well, with Hunter Renfrow's 37 checking in for second place.

And why not? Waller is averaging a paltry 7.9 yards per catch, but he's dropped just three passes. He's reliable, he's picked up 27 first downs, and though teams should know Carr's wide receivers haven't been threats, defenses can't seem to stop him.

It's worth mentioning rhythm, too. Carr is completing 69.8 percent of his passes despite a brutal opening slate, and Waller could get more lethal as the offense gets healthier.

This one plays into the point about Waller: If it's working and the team is winning, why change it?

During the win over the Chargers, for example, Carr's pass chart shows he attempted just six passes beyond 20 yards down the field. And on 13 completions, he threw for just 165 yards, yet he tossed two scores and the team won.

Some might call this "hiding" Carr. But if the hiding worked against what was the NFL's most difficult schedule through their first seven games, it's hard to complain.

The Raiders need Carr to carry the offense. In Week 5, a 40-32 upset of the Chiefs in Kansas City, Carr finished 22-of-31 for 347 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

This plan won't always work, but the counterargument is Carr has mostly played without one or both of his starting tackles, Henry Ruggs III has missed two games, and Bryan Edwards has missed four. Through it all, the proof of concept is there for an offense that ranks 11th with 27.3 points per game and has the team on track for a playoff spot.

Carr's rushing numbers don't seem like much. He's carried 23 times for 108 yards and 4.7 yards per tote.

But there's always a but.

Carr isn't Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. But in Week 8, a 16-6 win at the Cleveland Browns in poor weather, Carr rushed six times for 41 yards and made a couple of key plays to keep drives alive. It was the same story against the Chargers, even if the stat line shows just two carries for 14 yards.

Whether he's moving the chains or just putting his body on the line while exploiting a distracted defense, it's a new wrinkle that's working. 

Carr has picked up 10 first downs as a runner, the second-most of his career behind his 12 in 2014. His yards per carry is easily the best mark of his career—but he's got eight games to go.

Adding this sort of dynamic to an offense reliant on high-percentage throws and capable running backs only expands the things defenses have to keep in mind. And given Carr's athleticism and ability to make plays with his feet, onlookers are sure to wonder why this hadn't been implemented before this season.

In the face of a brutal schedule and without offensive tackles Trent Brown and now Kolton Miller too, the Carr-led offense put up 30 or more points Sunday for the fourth time in eight games.

Gruden summed it up well enough, according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur: "Derek had great command today. It's not easy playing with revolving doors up front. I am very proud of him and excited for the future."

Carr's comments about the offense should be encouraging to fans, too.

"We're a very multiple offense," he said, according to Raiders Wire's Luke Straub: "We'll take some shots. We can win with—not being funny—the quarterback running, the running backs going crazy. We can win with passing the ball. We're finding ways to win, and we're going to take what we want."

An uptick in health for the unit should pair well with a schedule that includes two games against the 3-5 Denver Broncos and one each versus the 3-6 Atlanta Falcons, 0-9 New York Jets and 2-6 Chargers.

Carr has shown he's up to task and in command of the offense, so it's merely a matter of sticking to the proven plan.