01-14-2019, 04:41 AM
Derek Carr has suffered through long losing streaks before. The Oakland Raiders lost their first 10 games during his rookie season in 2014 before winning three of the final six.He believes the lessons he learned then can benefit the Raiders now as they try to shrug off another winless start.That's why Carr cautioned against knee-jerk reactions and instead is trying to keep the vibe the same in spite of Oakland's 0-3 record."If you're going to go through something like that you might as well do it in the right attitude http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonline.co...arr-jersey ," Carr said Wednesday. "It's all about your attitude and how you handle things. I don't really want to waste my family's time, my coaches' time, my teammates' time by walking around here being sad. There's no point. We have a job to do. We have things to continue to work on."The Raiders dropped their opener to the Los Angeles Rams 33-13 before consecutive close road losses in Denver and Miami.In all three games, Oakland led in the third quarter, only to fall flat each time. The Raiders, who are sixth in total offense, have been outscored 37-3 in the fourth quarter.Carr's season has mirrored the Raiders' struggles. His 76.6 completion percentage is second in the NFL behind Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. He's also on pace to pass for a career-best 4,992 yards.But Carr has also made mistakes at critical times. His five interceptions are tied for most in the NFL, and he was picked off in the end zone late in the fourth quarter against Miami last week with Oakland trailing by four points."I think at times he is trying too hard," coach Jon Gruden said. "I think sometimes he needs to learn a little bit more patience and he will. I'm really excited about the way he has played and improved and mastered this offense. We are getting closer."The problem is that the improvement isn't reflected in the standings.That's why Carr has been leaning on his experience from 2014. The Raiders opened that season with 10 consecutive losses before stunning Kansas City on a Thursday night.Although there are obvious similarities between 2014 and this year, Carr said, there are distinct differences, too."It's not what we wanted but everyone in there is energized http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonline.co...ara-jersey ," Carr said. "I've been 0-10 before and I know that feeling, I've seen the look on people's faces. That's not the same look that our team has. We understand that we're doing some really good things on both sides. Now, we all need to correct here and there a little bit but it's not drastic stuff."Cleveland coach Hue Jackson, who coached the Raiders in 2011, has been impressed with Carr this season."He's throwing the ball all over the place," Jackson said during a conference call. "I don't think their issues are in the passing game. Derek's playing well."Carr has tried to convey a similar positive message to his teammates."It's mostly the young guys because they don't know. They've never been in a situation like this, especially at this level," Carr said. "I had a great talk this morning with (rookie defensive end) Arden Key, just about some of those kinds of things. People did it for me so I feel like I should do it for them."I've tried to be the same guy for five years. I try and be the same guy every day for my teammates, whether we go out there and win by 20 or whether we lose in the ways that we have."Notes: The Raiders signed free agent kicker Matt McCrane and placed Mike Nugent on injured reserve with a hip injury. McCrane was undrafted and spent training camp with the Arizona Cardinals. . Rookie defensive lineman P.J. Hall (ankle sprain) practiced during the unpadded workout. The second-round pick has been inactive the past two weeks. When Carolina's Christian McCaffrey ripped off a 59-yard run against the Seattle Seahawks, there was no tapping his helmet.He wasn't coming out of the game.The second-year running back told Cam Newton in the huddle before the next play "I'm ready to go," then took a handoff on the next play and picked up another 15 yards."Any other average running back would've tapped his head and said, 'I need a blow Authentic Wil Lutz Jersey ,'" Newton said.McCaffrey has been the Energizer Bunny of the Panthers' offense, playing in 97 percent of the team's offensive plays through 11 games 鈥?the most in the NFL.And he's showing no signs of letting up.He became the first Carolina player in franchise history to eclipse 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game last Sunday. Despite the loss to the Seahawks, his 237 total yards set a franchise record.Entering Sunday's game at Tampa Bay, McCaffrey is fourth in the NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 1,365. He has 757 yards rushing and five touchdowns, 608 yards receiving yards on 71 catches and five more TDs.McCaffrey said he never really gets tired 鈥?and if he does, he just ignores it."I don't think of it," McCaffrey said. "When I'm in the game there is so much adrenaline. I never really feel like I'm gasping. You have to push through that.""He doesn't look like it is wearing on him," said Panthers coach Ron Rivera, whose team is looking to snap a three-game losing streak. "He works hard at everything he does and takes care of himself the way you expect a pro to do. Our other young guys can learn from that example."The 5-foot-11, 205-pound McCaffrey is proving to everyone he's not too small to be an every-down 鈥?and basically every-play 鈥?running back.Newton said McCaffrey is always out to prove something and bristles when someone calls him a "small" running back."When they take you at the eighth pick, you have a lot of people counting on you," McCaffrey said. "So I knew it was going to be a pivotal (role). But at the same time Womens Cameron Jordan Jersey , you still have to earn everything. And that's kind of my mindset, how it's always been."Said Newton: "C-Mac has defied all odds. The thing that has always put me at comfort with C-Mac is he's always been a workhorse. He's always been a playmaker. There's no denying that. C-Mac was everything (we thought he could be), and a bag of chips."McCaffrey believes that players like McCaffrey, Le'Veon Bell, Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara are changing the running back position in the NFL."Those guys are all-down backs," Newton said. "And they can take a screen pass, score. They can take a trap, score. They can block in the pass game. They're everything. And they're changing the game. My hat goes off to all of those guys knowing that they're a part of the evolving of the game, just like dual-threat quarterbacks." Custom Buffalo Bills Jerseys