Raiders quarterback Derek Carr breaks down latest loss

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr always has interesting things to say, after wins and losses.

Sunday, he spoke at length on several topics after the Raiders’ second straight loss, a 20-9 defeat at home to the Chicago Bears. Below are some highlights from Carr’s media session:

On the sloppiness of the offense and perhaps if the Jon Gruden email controversy had a role in it:

Carr: “To address the first part, uncharacteristic for sure. We got a few moments there that weren’t like us, but we all do. It’s football man, it’s professional football against a really good team. That stuff happens, you don’t want it to happen, you don’t plan it to happen, you set your mind, and you go out there and prepare, but it did. It hurts, it’s tough, we left a lot of big plays out there. Big plays that could’ve changed the outcome of the game, that hurts. But we got to keep going. To address the second part, he was very honest and upright with us before that article came out. The morning before that article, we didn’t even know about that article. He just told us exactly what he said in those emails. He tried his best to remember, and he told us upfront what he said about Gene Upshaw, which were very positive things, what he said about DeMaurice [Smith], what he said about whatever, you guys know. And he just flat out told us. He addressed it. He was honest, he was upfront with it, and us as a team were like, ‘Yeah coach it was 10 years ago. We love you man. We got your back.’ We’re just trying to be there to support Coach. I know it’s a hard time for him. What he said to us, I’ll let him speak on that. I don’t want to speak for him, of course. But when we left that meeting, it was like dang it, that sucks. He probably regrets it. He told us, ‘Man learn from my mistake.’ He said that to us. I don’t want to get to details of what he said to us, but at the same time when we left that meeting, we didn’t take it as how it came out. So when it came out, we were like, ‘Oh dang.’ You know how it goes in media now, it’s going to get blown up. Even if people don’t know it, they’re going to catch on to that. I talked to Charles Davis, he did our game, and they were together for a long time. He said when the article came out were you shocked? I said I was very shocked because he’s never shown anything like that kind of characteristics at all.”

On the week of practice leading up to the Chicago game:

Carr: “Honestly, we didn’t have a bad week. Practice was good, probably not perfect. But that happens, I mean, I’ve had practice situations where I’ve said ‘Gosh dang I wish I hit that pass or that pass.’ And you go on and throw for 400. I’m like, ‘OK, I’m glad that it worked out, right.’ I don’t think that practice was off. I don’t think anyone’s mindset was off. Honestly, as a team our focus inside the building was…we just had a heartbreak on Monday night. We had a short week, we have to get ready to play, and so our mindset going into it, we weren’t thinking about anything else or anything like that. We didn’t play good enough. That out there, that isn’t going to cut it. What we put out there today in the last however many days, that isn’t going to cut it and that’s not going to win any football games. So we have to get back to work, and we got to get ready to go.”

Have things unraveled the past two weeks?

Carr: “I think if we look at it right, let’s look at it, you know, no hat in the game right. We had a lot of penalties. We had a touchdown called back. We had some big play opportunities that didn’t happen right. So, we hit those plays, and we were like, ‘Oh wow.’ We threw for however many yards, we ran for another touchdown, you know what I’m saying. And I can’t say people are figuring us out, you know. I can’t say it that way. Did they come out and outplay us today? Absolutely. They beat us. They beat us. We didn’t make the plays. We weren’t on schedule. We turned the ball over, it goes on and on, but that’s from execution standpoint. I don’t think from a fundamental standpoint, I don’t think that’s from, ‘Oh man, they know what’s coming.’ You know what I mean. There was times even on a bootleg they’re screaming “stretch,” and we ran a bootleg, you know. There’s things like that happening, you know what I mean. So, that’s where I can’t say they got us figured out, but I just don’t think we’ve played good enough. Like if we just sit back and look at it, we just haven’t played at the standard that we expect. Not even close.”

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

On Alex Leatherwood’s move to guard from tackle

Carr: “It felt like he did a good job in that spot, it’s new for him. I don’t know if he’s ever played there. I thought he was physical, which he’s always physical, I think it helps him. I think Brandon [Parker] did a great job. Those are two really tough rushers to block, really good front. Obviously, they got home a lot today, not just on the sacks, but getting me off my spot, and things like that, they did a good job. I don’t think he played bad or anything like that. It wasn’t something where it was glaring to me just from the pocket aspect of it, but again, I haven’t seen the film, the film aspect from it.”

Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images

On his interactions with former teammate Khalil Mack on Sunday.

Carr: “Oh man, I was talking trash to him. There was one down by the endzone I threw a seam route, thought he caught, and I just started yelling in Khalil’s face. I probably shouldn’t have done that, he kind of got excited after that. But we didn’t connect on it, and he let me know about it. Later, he was coming on the zone read and I kept it, If I would’ve got that first down, I probably wouldn’t shut up for the rest of our lives. Two friends playing football in the professional level, you know what I mean? That’s something, we beat him once, now he’s beaten me once. Hopefully they’ll be a rubber match in there somewhere. I think someday we’ll be able to sit there with our families, which will be somewhere, hangout, be able to talk about it, but right now he got us today, he got me today a couple of times, but he didn’t get that ball from me.”