Expectations for Raiders’ Derek Carr shift into another gear in Year 2

Good thing for Derek Carr this one doesn’t count. Because what we saw Sunday night from the Raiders’ second-year quarterback won’t cut it when things get real.

This is supposed to be the season Carr takes his game – along with the Raiders’ win total – to another level. His performance against the Cardinals in front of a national TV audience did not provide a clear sense things are headed that direction.

The Fresno State product wasn’t terrible in the first half of the Raiders’ all-important (sarcasm) third preseason game. He just wasn’t anywhere close to where he needs to be in two weeks.

Carr overthrew receivers, on several occasions. He threw late to Michael Crabtree on a pass that was nearly intercepted. He failed to capitalize on excellent field position provided by the defense.

Finally, late in the second quarter, the silver and black faithful at O.co Coliseum got a glimpse of what they wanted to see.

Rookie receiver Amari Cooper created space against All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson and Carr delivered his best pass of the night for 37 yards. On the next play, Carr rolled right and hit Cooper for 13 more.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, the drive didn’t result in a touchdown. Nor did they manage one just before halftime after an interception gave Carr & Co. excellent field position. Instead, kicker Sebastian Janikowski was responsible for all the scoring in a 15-point first half.

Playing the entire first half and the opening drive of the second, Carr finished 18 of 34 for 213 yards. His final pass of the night was intercepted by Cariel Brooks and returned 81 yards for an Arizona touchdown.

You could even hear a few boos in the stadium.

On the surface, Carr had an encouraging first season. His 348 completions were a franchise rookie record and ranked second in NFL history, and his 58.1 completion percentage is fourth all-time.

Yeah, but. Most of those completions were of the paltry variety. Carr finished last in the league in yards per completion (9.4) and yards per attempt (5.5), a far cry from the vertical passing game of Raiders days gone by.

Instead of the “Mad Bomber” a la Fresno resident Daryle Lamonica, Carr morphed into the Controlled Dink & Dunker.

Of course, Carr can throw more than 5-yard hitches. Anyone who watched him play in college knows that. But he was shackled by terrible receivers and conservative play calling.

First-year offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave has pledged to throw open the playbook and allow his quarterback more freedom. Most of all, though, Carr now has NFL-caliber targets.

Last year’s running joke about the Raiders’ offense was that Carr had better receivers at Fresno State.

After the Raiders drafted Cooper and signed Crabtree as a free agent, it’s no longer true – or funny.

A skilled route runner with explosive speed, Cooper’s best attribute might be an innate knack for getting open. The No. 4 overall pick only needed a few weeks of training camp to become Carr’s favorite deep threat.

“He’s getting so much better every day,” Carr said about Cooper this week. “You can tell it means something to him, and I think he has a special future.”

Crabtree also seems well-suited for what the Raiders are trying to do on offense. The former 49er won’t win many foot races but has sticky hands, runs precise routes and makes tough catches in traffic.

The additions of Cooper and Crabtree means less dependency on tight end Mychal Rivera, Carr’s security blanket last season, and Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reese. It also means Andre Holmes, last year’s receiving yardage leader, isn’t a lock to make the 53-man roster.

Carr will also benefit from a reinvigorated running game. Gone are the aging, slowing Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew. The Raiders are committed to Latavius Murray, who gained 5.2 yards each time he carried the ball last season.

Common wisdom about rookie quarterbacks is they make their biggest leap entering Year 2. Carr’s could even be more pronounced now that he isn’t driving such a stripped-down model.

“That second year is your biggest jump as a professional athlete, and I think it’s going to be the same for Derek,” cornerback Charles Woodson said earlier in training camp. “I mean, we’re looking for him to be dominant this year.”

That’s right, dominant. “Serviceable” was so 2014. The expectations for Carr have shifted into another gear.

This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 8:41 PM with the headline "Expectations for Raiders’ Derek Carr shift into another gear in Year 2."