The KC Chiefs wrap up the 2018 regular season with a home game against the Oakland Raiders. Since Derek Carr became their quarterback, the Raiders have struggled in the confines of Arrowhead Stadium.
Flashback to the 2014 NFL Draft. The Kansas City Chiefs went with Dee Ford in the first round and not many picks later, the hated Oakland Raiders took quarterback Derek Carr in round two.
At the time, no one thought much of it. The Raiders started Carr’s rookie season at 0-10 (though he didn’t play in all of those games) and his first NFL victory actually came against the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in the Black Hole.
From there, a rivalry was born and Chiefs fans were forced into disliking Carr, even if they didn’t necessarily want to.
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Two years later, Carr was putting up MVP-like numbers and people couldn’t stop talking about the guy who very well might be the Raiders quarterback of the future.
There was one issue then, however, and it’s the same issue that plagues the former Fresno State product to this day. He has yet to win a game at Arrowhead Stadium during his career.
Carr is 0-4 at Arrowhead. Not only that, but Carr struggles at Arrowhead. In arguably his biggest game as the Raiders quarterback, Carr went 17 of 41 for 117 yards with no touchdowns against the Chiefs in primetime action at Arrowhead. It was the game that singlehandedly ruined his MVP campaign.
Last year in Kansas City, Carr threw 211 yards, one touchdown, and was picked off twice. The Chiefs sacked him three times and he looked awful that day.
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With so much on the line for the KC Chiefs this weekend, we’re all hoping Carr is his usual pitiful self at Arrowhead on Sunday, but the Raiders signal caller has a lot on the line for himself. There’s been buzz all season long that Jon Gruden might flip Carr somewhere in a trade.
With the team moving to Las Vegas soon, it’s possible that Gruden wants to knock it all down and start over and that might include at the most important position in the sport.
Nothing would help Carr’s status as a Raider by going into an environment he’s previously struggled in and knocking the Chiefs out of the top spot in the division. Some might say the Raiders have nothing to play for this weekend, but they also have the chance to ruin one of their biggest rivals’ run through the playoffs.
If the Kansas City Chiefs lose on Sunday and the Chargers win, KC is the five seed and will play over Wild Card weekend. That’s a far cry from having the number one seed and having home field advantage throughout the postseason.
Derek Carr being so bad at Arrowhead since the start of his career is promising for Chiefs fans this weekend. Will he continue to perform poorly or will he finally get his first win in a stadium that has plagued him throughout his career?