Derek Carr remains "fearless" despite 0-6 start

The 2014 Raiders have yet to experience what it's like to win a game. For the rookies, they have yet to experience a win on the NFL level. And that string has no reached six games. Usually, no position feels the weight of that than the quarterback. That Raiders have been starting rookie Derek Carr at quarterback all season and despite not feeling victory in his young NFL career, he continues to approach games without hesitation.

To show his lack of fear in his approach, he went right after All Pro cornerback, Patrick Peterson on the very first play of the game. Peterson played it well and it fell incomplete but that pass sent the message he would not be ignoring Peterson's receiver just as he hadn't stayed away from corners like Darrelle Revis and Brandon Flowers.

"Yeah. I saw him looking inside and I saw him start to kinda slow up so I thought I'd give James a chance to run by him but he did a good job of getting back over the top," Carr said of Peterson. "But like I said I know where they are at all times but I'm always gonna give my guys shots to make plays."

Giving his guys a shot to make a play is what led to the game-ending interception against the Chargers last week. And this play had a similar feel to it, with Peterson reading the long pass and beating Jones to the ball. Carr was lucky the ball fell incomplete in this instance.

On the flip side, that same aggressiveness is what helped lead to Carr throwing for four touchdowns last week.

The offense this week didn't show near the same big play abilities it had last week - mainly because the Cardinals were expecting it.

Head coach Tony Sparano has taken a more aggressive approach with the way the offense is called since he took over as Interim head coach during the bye week. He encourages his rookie quarterback to push the ball down the field, whether it be Peterson or anyone else in coverage.

"The ball was gonna go down the field on the first play of the game," said Sparano. "To be honest with you, the call was set up that way, he had an outlet to bring the ball down if necessary, but he pushed the ball down the field and went after him. I don't want Derek to lose his stinger that way. I want him to be able to attack the corner and do those things and not worry about the person that's out there, that's irrelevant to him right now. This kid's got confidence, he's playing with confidence now. I'm sure there was some plays out there that he'd like to have back and that's a sign of a good quarterback.

"I want him fearless. I don't want him to go out there and worry about who's playing corner right now. With all due respect to Patrick and Cromartie, they're two good players, we knew that coming into the ball game, but we knew we had to win some of those match-ups."

Unlike the offense's breakout performance through the air last week, they didn't win too many match-ups this week. Carr had just 9 completions to wide receivers on 15 targets, with just one for over 20 yards - a 55-yard completion to Brice Butler with safety Rashad Johnson in coverage.

Even still, Carr will continue to attack corners without reservation.

"Yeah, I'm a pretty fearless person," said Carr. "I don't really fear anything . . . especially [in] a football game. I come out here, like I said, like the first play, yes that guy is an All-Pro corner, but if I think that our guy can win I'm going to give him a chance. There's no doubt in my mind, every time I take that field, that whatever play is called we're going to make it work. You have to have that mindset but if you have a little bit of fear or a little bit of doubt in you, maybe I'll be more conservative or these things, I'll never be that."

It will be interesting how that approach will turn out next week against Joe Haden in Cleveland and in two weeks when the Raiders head to Seattle and Carr will be facing the likes of Richard Sherman on the other side of the ball. The likely results being similar to his experience with Peterson in this one and therefore the Raiders remaining winless. Carr claims that even if that happens, nothing will change for him.

"I can speak for myself, it won't wear on me," said Carr. "If we were 6-0 right now or 0-6, I promise you I'd be talking to you the same way I am right now and I'd be praising God right now just like I am, and I'd be praising him if we were 6-0. I'm never gonna change."

Carr sees a light at the end of this tunnel, saying "Good times are comin'." And sees those good times comin' this season. Whether that is true or not, don't expect Carr to get gun shy. That's not how he rolls.

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