Derek Carr on key dropped pass and how his roots helped him deal with the Denver heat

The Oakland Raiders had a couple chances to put Sunday’s game at Denver away in the fourth quarter.

Instead, the Broncos beat the Raiders 20-19.

Here’s how the Raiders could’ve closed the game in the fourth quarter:

On fourth-and-1 at Denver’s 33-yard line, the Raiders went for it with 13:11 remaining.

Keith Smith dropped Carr’s pass. The Broncos took advantage when Case Keenum scored on a 1-yard run to cut Oakland’s lead to 19-17.

“We had a great play call.” quarterback Derek Carr said. “We had him open and I had to throw it quick before his eyes were fully ready because of the pressure and you know we just didn’t connect on it. Again, he will be thinking about that, I’ll be thinking about that obviously the whole plane ride home.”

Then on third-and-8, Carr threw a short slant to Martavis Bryant for 3 yards with 2:51 remaining.

The Raiders punted and Keenum led the Broncos on the winning 10-play drive to Brandon McManus’ 36-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining.

That awful taste – Raiders right tackle Donald Penn said coach Jon Gruden was not happy in the locker room after the game.

“We should have won that game. I am pissed. He should be pissed. He’s our head coach and he should hold us accountable and he should hold us to a high standard, as he does. We had more than enough opportunities to win that game. We gave that game away at the end of the day. We gave them all the opportunities and they capitalized on them. ...

“We’re a good team and it doesn’t show. We’re 0-2 right now. Once we get these nicks together, we’ll get rolling.”

Wide receiver Amari Cooper said, “It leaves a bad taste in our mouth. We know how hard we work. You have to understand, every week in the NFL, the team that’s most prepared is the team that’s going to win the game. Luck plays a factor sometimes, but we need to go out there and find a way to win.”

Linebacker Derrick Johnson said Gruden “believes in us” and is “proud of us.”

“He’s always going to take ownership, and that’s what kind of guy he is,” he said. “But, at the same time, us players need to put a little more pressure on ourselves to pull it (the win) out. We know it’s a tough place to play and it’s a divisional game, but we got to find a way to win.”

Carr sets mark – Carr completed 29 of 32 passing for 288 yards with one TD for a passer rating of 114.6. His 90.6 completion percentage was the fourth-highest in NFL history among quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts in a game.

Among quarterbacks with at least 20 passing attempts, Carr’s 288 passing yards are the most by a quarterback who completed at least 90 percent of his attempts in a single game in NFL history. He is the only quarterback with at least 30 pass attempts and a 90-plus completion percentage in a single game.

He set the franchise record for highest completion percentage in the first half of play with 94.7 percent, completing 18 of 19 passes for 158 yards.

Carr also became the quickest Raider to surpass 15,000 career yards and fourth overall in the franchise’s history to reach the mark.

Other notes - Cooper recorded his 12^th career 100-plus yard receiving game, finishing with 116 yards.

▪ Rookie defensive tackle Maurice Hurst recorded his first career sack.

▪ The Raiders didn’t have to wait until late November to pick up their first interception. Cornerback Rashaan Melvin picked off Keenum at Oakland’s 1-yard line. Last season, NaVorro Bowman picked up the Raiders’ first interception in Week 12 against the Broncos.

That Fresno feeling - Carr wasn’t bothered by the heat in Denver. At 92 degrees, it was the warmest kickoff temperature in Mile High Stadium history.

“I’m from Fresno,” he said. “That was a nice cool day for me. No, that’s funny, though, I’m lying to you, it was definitely hot. But, it wasn’t a Bulldog Stadium day that’s for sure.”

This story was originally published September 16, 2018 at 9:14 PM.