Warszawski: In Year 2, Derek Carr still learning how to be game manager

The phrase “game manager” is typically a derogatory term when used to describe an NFL quarterback.

Even though it should be high praise.

Alex Smith fits the definition. He’s careful with the football. Doesn’t force throws into tight coverage. Perfectly content to rely on his running game.

That formula has proven successful. After a slow start to his career, Smith led the 49ers and Chiefs to playoff berths by making smart, safe plays and avoiding costly mistakes.

Smith is less reckless than an elementary school crossing guard. He became just the third quarterback in NFL history (joining Tom Brady and Bernie Kosar) to throw 300 consecutive passes without an interception.

Derek Carr comes from the other school. The second-year quarterback from Fresno State has supreme confidence in his right arm and enjoys showing it off. He’ll try to make a play, even when there isn’t a play to be made.

That tendency caught up to Carr and the Raiders on Sunday afternoon as his three fourth-quarter interceptions all but handed the surging Chiefs a 34-20 victory at O.co Coliseum.

Carr’s three picks were either a career-high, or a career-low. Depends on how much silver and black you have in the dresser.

“It just sucked (the three interceptions) all happened back-to-back like that,” Carr said. “It stings, but we have to move on. We have to be ready to play next week.”

Even if next week comes too late.

The Raiders (5-7) needed a win Sunday to remain in the playoff picture. Now they can safely be cropped out.

Oakland led 20-14 entering the fourth quarter, and Carr was enjoying an uneven but error-free afternoon.

Then disaster struck.

Not only did Carr throw interceptions on three of four drives, the Chiefs nearly returned each of them for touchdowns.

One play after Carr missed Michael Crabtree with nothing but green grass between him and the end zone, the Raiders faced second-and-10 from the Chiefs’ 33-yard line.

Carr dropped back to pass but was under heavy pressure. Instead of throwing the ball away or taking the sack, he tried a dink pass in the direction of Roy Helu. Except Chiefs linebacker Josh Mauga was in the area, too, and he plucked the floating pigskin from midair and returned it 66 yards.

“I was just trying to make a play,” Carr said.

Two plays later, Smith hit Jeremy Maclin for a 2-yard touchdown with a botched PAT snap preserving a 20-20 tie.

It didn’t stay that way for long. On Oakland’s next possession, Carr threw a pass downfield that didn’t seem intended for anyone in particular (Crabtree stumbled mid-route) except Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters.

The Oakland native made the interception and brought it back 58 yards to the Oakland 13. Two plays later, the Chiefs had a 26-20 lead.

Carr’s third interception drove the final nail into Oakland’s coffin. Carr tried to find Amari Cooper, but this time the ball bounced off the rookie receiver’s hands and caromed right to Tyvon Branch, the former Raider.

“It was probably not a throw I would make early in a game, but when we needed chunk plays, you gotta make a throw like that and it happened to get tipped up,” Carr said.

Branch returned the interception 38 yards for the clinching touchdown and sent Oakland’s playoff hopes up in smoke.

One week after Carr led a rainy Raiders comeback in Nashville, Tennessee, to halt a three-game losing streak, his three interceptions were too much to overcome.

“He had a rough fourth ... probably trying to do too much,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said.

Until Sunday, Carr was enjoying a pretty superb year. He had thrown four times as many touchdowns (24) as picks (six) and became just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to pass for 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.

This one will sting. Not only because it eliminated his team from playoff contention, but because it came at home where the Raiders are just 2-4.

“Our record is what we earned,” Carr said.

Same goes for Kansas City. The Chiefs began the year 1-5 but have now won six straight to claw into the wild-card picture.

Smith didn’t do anything spectacular. His passing numbers (16 of 22 for 162 yards and two touchdowns) look positively pedestrian.

Except the 11-year veteran avoided mistakes. Smith made safe throws and avoided unnecessary risk. Only four of his 16 completions spanned 10 yards.

Carr finished with more passing yards (283) than Smith, the same number of touchdown passes (two) and almost twice the number of completions (31).

But those interceptions, even those that aren’t entirely the quarterback’s fault, must be eliminated if the Raiders want to take the next step from NFL mediocrity.

“He’s one of several good, young players that will continue to grow and benefit from experiences good and bad,” Del Rio said. “There were certainly some good experiences earlier in that ballgame. But at the end there were opportunities where it has to be different for him to be the player he wants to be and for us to be the team we want to be.”

Contrary to popular belief, there’s nothing wrong with being a game manager in the NFL. It’s a lesson Carr still needs to learn.

This story was originally published December 6, 2015 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Warszawski: In Year 2, Derek Carr still learning how to be game manager."