Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr on playoffs, ‘a long road’; Nicholas Morrow to play?
.JPG "Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr throws against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half of an NFL game, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Las Vegas.")
Derek Carr will never forget that fateful game in late December 2016 against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Raiders were rolling that year — having already clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2002 (in an eventual 12-4 season) — on that day they were up 33-14 on the Colts with 11:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Then the unthinkable: Carr was sacked by Trent Cole and went down in a heap. Carr motioned to the sideline “it’s broken.” The crowd groaned, knowing it was a severe injury.
Two trainers came to the field and helped Carr off the field as the crowd chanted “M-V-P.” A cart took Carr to the locker room with a towel wrapped around his neck and he waved to the crowd.
He was done for the season with a broken ankle that kept him out of the playoffs. The Raiders lost in the AFC wild-card game to the Houston Texans, 27-14.
Carr to this day keeps the memory close, even this week posting a picture of himself getting treated after the injury.
Carr and the Raiders were close to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, but fell apart later each season.
But it was redemption time for Carr this season as he led the Raiders to the playoffs in Sunday night’s 35-32 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders are headed to the AFC wild-card as the fifth seed and will face the Cincinnati Bengals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Carr went on Twitter and shared his feelings about then and now.
“It’s been a long road, but I wouldn’t trade any of it,” Carr wrote on Twitter on Monday. “A lot on my mind in these pictures. Keep grinding, keep that chip on your shoulder, and never let anyone tell you what you can’t do. We made it back #RaiderNation now let’s have some fun!”
Carr expanded Tuesday and said he became a “better player” because “I’m able to play different ways, different styles in order to win a football game” after the injury.
He is excited that his four children will get to see him play in the playoffs and hope the run continues in the postseason because the “job is not done.”
“I don’t think I’d have it any other way to share that moment with them,” Carr said. “As a player, I feel like I’m a better player than I was then. I was young and doing a lot of crazy things that were actually working out and didn’t always work out. But I just feel like a much more wise, smarter player now than I was then. And I feel more equipped and ready now even than back then.
“It’s an exciting time for sure. But a lot of emotions from those moments when we clinched with like three weeks left or whatever it was and then I break my ankle and then I don’t get to play. For anybody that’d be heartbreaking, but to be able to get back into the playoffs for the second time in my career, is a cool thing because this time I get to play.”
Nicholas Morrow returning for playoffs?
The Raiders designated linebacker Nicholas Morrow for return on Tuesday.
Morrow hasn’t played since suffering an injury during training camp and was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 2.
It is not known if Morrow will be ready for Saturday’s game against the Bengals, but if he returns, that will be a big boost for a defense already playing well.
When Morrow went down, the Raiders acquired linebacker Denzel Perryman from the Carolina Panthers who shined this season that led to a Pro Bowl selection.
The Raiders held a walkthrough Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It’s great to have him back,” Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “He worked his tail off the last couple months. He’s a guy that’s been in every meeting. He’s on the details and we’ll see where he is at physically (before Saturday’s game).”
Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia will provide an update on Thursday if Morrow can go Saturday.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 6:02 PM.
