Derek Carr reveals advice from former Raiders HC Jon Gruden helped him see out win against Cowboys
The Las Vegas Raiders have had one of the most tumultuous NFL seasons. Quarterback Derek Carr started the season off strong but has struggled the last few games.
Some of the issues surrounding Carr and the Raiders could be attributed to the resignation of head coach Jon Gruden and the seriousness of the release of wide receiver Henry Ruggs, who was arrested for causing a deadly car accident.
On Thursday, Carr and the Raiders broke their three-game losing streak over the Dallas Cowboys and after the game, he said he used advice given to him by his former head coach to muster out a win.
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Derek Carr falls back on advice from Jon Gruden to break losing streak
The Las Vegas Raiders had lost three straight games since coming off their bye week. Heading into Dallas for the Thanksgiving matchup, quarterback Derek Carr and the Raiders were willing to do anything possible to squeak out a win on the road, which is what they ended up doing in a 36-33 overtime victory.
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So what did quarterback Derek Carr do differently to help get the Raiders up and down the field? Listen to advice given to him by former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
Carr said that Gruden told him, "Don't ever take your arm out of the game."
That's exactly what Carr didn't do.
"We get that touchdown, I look at the scoreboard, OK, 7-0," Carr said. "I'm excited. I'm an emotional, passionate person, but my mindset literally goes, OK, 7-0. We've got to keep going.
"But I can't exhale during the game, especially with this one, how close it was. We hit that play, it's exciting ... but I can't exhale. Win or lose, whether it's going good or bad, I have to stay in the moment."
Derek Carr and the Raiders appear to be rounding a corner
Derek Carr went 24 for 39 on completed passes and threw for 373 passing yards and one touchdown. It was the best game that Carr has had and most passing yards since Week 3 of this season.
That was also back when the Las Vegas Raiders were still undefeated.
Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said after the Thanksgiving Day victory that Carr and the entire team were beginning to look more in sync.
"Derek is his biggest critic. ... He's been off sync a little bit; we've all been off sync. "Today he looked like Derek Carr. It's fun to watch him play."
The Las Vegas Raiders will now play the Washington Football Team next Sunday afternoon. Washington is a team that has given some of the best teams in the country a run the last few weeks.