Raiders Opinion: Carr And Ruggs Must Connect

The Las Vegas Raiders finishing 2-1 in the preseason may have turned more heads than it should have. With improvements settling in on both sides of the ball, it is understandable. However, before we start banging the “playoffs” drum, there are still quite a few questions that could significantly determine the level of success this team could experience.

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Sophomore Hopes

For starters, the jury still being out on Henry Ruggs should bring concerns. Typically, wide receivers do not attend the University of Alabama and start on the football team if they are going to be viewed as project pieces. So why has it taken Ruggs an entire season to settle in? Ruggs was the first wide receiver drafted in 2020, but lands ninth on the 2020 rookies receiving yard totals, fifty-one yards behind Michael Pittman and 148 behind Laviska Shenault. Many make the case that Nelson Agholor’s resurgence commanded more targets and cut into Ruggs’, but Ruggs tends to be the fastest player on the field (and Derek Carr can throw a mean deep ball), how is there a missed connection? If Justin Jefferson can record 1,400 yards with Kirk Cousins, it is difficult to believe Ruggs and Carr could not match half of that.

Need More Wins Than Stats

Carr appears to be hitting his stride once more. His play in 2020 added new fans to his support system. Meanwhile, he also showed that a playoff run of any length will require a team effort. Carr can get his offense down the field in a one-score game, but the moment that lead reaches two possessions, something changes. It might not just be Carr, but the energy fades a bit from the team. Carr has increased his season total for passing yards in each of the last three years. Expectations are that he will continue this trend. After completing the second non-losing season of his career, Carr comes into the 2021 season with the most momentum he has ever had, as he was able to come off the 2020 season with a clean bill of health and experience a full preseason.

Quick Maturation Process

Lastly, this Raiders team has youth. Youth means energy and excitement. However, it can also bring “rookie mistakes.” The exciting part about rookie mistakes is that instead of seeing a constant stream of blown coverages and missed tackles, rookie mistakes can pop up less frequently. Plus, the players committing them can still be molded later in practice. But, rookie mistakes can also multiply under pressure. Do not expect an immaculate record in one-score games this year. By no means is it impossible for the Raiders to thrive in close games. Yet, that can be significantly influenced by the competence of the coach.