Derek Carr: Raiders’ struggles ‘my fault’

It’s not a secret that the Oakland Raiders are struggling right now. Through six weeks, they are in last place in their division with a 2-4 record. Derek Carr and his offense aren’t clicking, and the defense is a sieve.

Speaking to media Monday, Carr was asked what the team’s biggest struggle is so far. He put it all on his shoulders.

“It is my fault. Because, at the end of the day we’re out there on the field,” Carr said. “And I feel like that I can do something better. I can say it better. I can explain it better. There’s something missing that… I’m going to figure it out and we’re going to figure it out, because I’m not going to feel like this my whole season, my whole career. I refuse.”

You cannot ask for a better answer from a franchise quarterback. Even if he were playing perfectly right now and the Raiders were stinking it up, this is what you want to hear. It just so happens that, in the case of Carr and the Raiders, he’s not playing well. Really, it’s hard to find many players who are on Oakland’s roster right now.

Even before missing Week 5’s game with a back injury, Carr was struggling. The entire offense has been bad since coming out of the gate on fire in the first two weeks. Defensively, Oakland ranks No. 26 in total defense and has done well to allow just 21 points per game.

There’s still time to figure things out. Perhaps the addition of linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who was signed Monday, will help the defense come together. Perhaps Amari Cooper can start catching passes that hit him in the hands. Perhaps the Raiders can get back to running smashmouth offense in the running game. Perhaps Carr can stop throwing picks.

It all has to get better. Thankfully, it’s clear Carr isn’t going to let the current set of adverse circumstances affect the way he attacks his job. And that’s a good thing for the Raiders and their fans.