Before anyone gets too fired up in the comment section, Derek Carr isn’t going to win MVP. The award will likely go to Tom Brady, Ezekiel Elliott, or Matt Ryan. Some people have even made an argument for Aaron Rodgers. But while he won’t win the award, the way the Oakland Raiders played without him against the Denver Broncos has taught the Raider Nation one thing. He’s the real MVP of this team.
Derek Carr’s MVP Candidacy Strengthened in Absence
20 of 32 for 171 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. That’s what quarterbacks Connor Cook and Matt McGloin combined for in the 24-6 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 17. Of course, it’s pretty comparable to the 20 of 31 for 184 yard performance that Derek Carr had in Oakland’s 30-20 win back in November. So what’s the difference?
Well, it’s pretty obvious. Carr and the Raiders won their game, and the Raiders were blown out in the final week of the season. When Carr’s Raiders played the Broncos, they dominated. They ran the ball at will, and the game was nowhere near as close as the score indicated.
In Week 17, the same was true. The Raiders lost 24-6, but it felt like so much more. They couldn’t move the ball through the air or on the ground, and were dominated in time of possession. Against the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders did not look like a playoff team.
Most Valuable?
The MVP has become synonymous with “player of the year”, but it’s hardly accurate. If the award is supposed to go to the player that is the most valuable to his team, who is more valuable than Carr? The Raiders could’ve locked up a first round bye on Sunday, and they were humiliated by a team that won’t even make the playoffs.
If Carr is the difference between an elite playoff team and the same Raiders that the fans have been stuck with since 2002, doesn’t that make him pretty valuable? Tom Brady has to be considered a serious contender for the award, but the team won three games without him.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Stronger
Carr likely won’t win the Most Valuable Player award. In fact, the realistic aspirations for all the Raiders took a big hit when number four hit the turf. But when you think about the year that he had before he got hurt, it’s one to remember. He set the NFL record for game-winning touchdown passes, and he led the Raiders back from the brink of destruction on several occasions. The Raiders won 12 games, and they wouldn’t have done that without him under center.
Carr will be back later this year, and he’ll be as good as new. With another free agent and draft class, there’s huge potential for an even better Raiders team in 2017. Hopefully, the Raiders will have another 12, or maybe even 13 win season and pick right up where Carr left off. However, one thing is for sure, the Raider Nation won’t be taking him for granted anymore.
Derek Carr’s season should be over, but there’s no question that it was a great season. He helped redeem the Raiders, and return them to glory. Without Carr, 2016 would’ve been nothing more than the latest in a long series of depressing disappointments. He might not win the NFL’s MVP award, but there’s no question who the most valuable Raider is.
