SARASOTA, Fla. – Derek Carr gets rid of the ball fast. That isn't a bad thing.
The Raiders quarterback makes snap decisions based on a significant pre-snap knowledge of coverage schemes and defensive tendencies. He typically finds an open man, and his team gains some yards.
There are times, head coach Jack Del Rio says, where the patience might add a few more.
No NFL quarterback holds the ball less that Derek Carr. He has possession an average of 2.3 seconds per attempt, according to NFL Next Gen stats.
When he lets go, the ball isn't traveling far.
He averages 6.9 yards per attempt, around his 7.0 average the past two seasons, but isn't taking deep shots with regularity.
The numbers bare that out.
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Analytics site Pro Football Focus took a deep dive into Carr's attempts, and found that he has attempted 78 passes 6 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Excluding penalties, batted passes and throwaways, Carr has thrown 148 passes five yards or less beyond the line.
His average third down throw is a half-yard short of the average third down distance.
The Raiders would like to push it downfield more, as they did against Kansas City. Carr was more conservative in a 34-14 loss at Buffalo despite being pressured nine times.
"Derek is one of the best in the league in making quick decisions to get the ball out of his hands," Del Rio said Monday in a press conference. ‘Yesterday there were some occasions where we look at the film and he looks at it and says, ‘I had more time. I wasn't under duress. I had more time to scan the field and take some of the shots that we had designed to take.' Get the ball down the field the way we can, the way he's capable of. Those are things that are there."
An example of a missed opportunity came at the end of the first half. The Raiders called for a hail mary from the Buffalo 47-yard line, but a check down to Jalen Richard was the end result.
"That was a called throw into the end zone, so would like to give that more time, let those guys get down there and take a shot at it," Del Rio said. "That's the whole idea. That's what we practice. That's what we prepared to do in that situation. It's not a high percentage play, but you get your one in 10. We'll take it. That was an opportunity there at the end of the half after we had the misfortune with the fumble go back the other way and all that to try and take a shot there, so yes, that was called and needed to be executed much better."
Carr explained his mentality well after the Buffalo game, that he looks downfield first and will go short second if that's what the defense provides.
"The way I play is that I'm looking vertical. I'm looking for the big one," Carr said. "I've trying to take it, and if it's not there I have to get it out quick and let our guys run with it and go get what we can."
That isn't a bad thing or a bad approach. This offense is better when it's more explosive, even against defenses hell bent on taking away the big play.
"I think he's a really gifted player. I think we benefit from him being a quick decision maker. I think it's the awareness of the fact that we're doing a good job protecting him and we do have a little bit more time. Take that time. Get some of those shots down the field that we'd like to hit."
