Kansas City Chiefs: Getting to know the Raiders before Week 5

4) Why are the Raiders 2-2?

“Early on, the Raiders were playing disciplined football, and Derek Carr was able to utilize all of his weapons. Since then, they have been ravaged by the injury bug, with both their starting wideouts going down, and two of their starting offensive linemen. In addition, rookie cornerback Damon Arnette went on IR, and Nick Kwiatkoski missed some games, so the team has had injury issues on both sides of the ball. If they can get healthy, they are a team that can beat anybody.”

5) How do you and most fans feel about Derek Carr? How much longer do you see him in the Raiders’ plans?

“The fan base is completely split on Derek Carr, and for good reason, as his statistics have not equated to many wins. There are his defenders, who point to the multiple head coaches, coordinators, and bad defenses, and there are his critics, who are tired of hearing the excuses. This is a huge season for him, and getting this Raiders team to the playoffs, while continuing to put up good numbers is crucial. If the Raiders miss the playoffs, it is hard for me to see both Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock standing behind him next offseason.”

6) Speaking of Carr, why do you think it is that he has struggled so badly at Arrowhead?

“It is hard to see why he has struggled so much at Arrowhead, because he performed well in cold weather at Fresno State against Wyoming and teams like that. Bottom line is, I think the Chiefs have just been a much better team, and that stadium is hard for any quarterback to do well in. Carr seems to struggle when he comes East during the winter no matter who they play, so it may not just be a Chiefs thing. One thing is for sure, a win on Sunday could do a lot in terms of changing the narrative when it comes to him.”