How did Derek Carr’s 1st season with Saints compare to Raiders QBs?
Derek Carr’s first season with the Saints ended the same way most of them did with the Raiders: Without a playoff berth.
The veteran quarterback, who signed a four-year, $150 million contract with New Orleans in March, led the team to victories in its final two games to finish 9-8. That tied the Buccaneers for the best record in the NFC South, but Tampa Bay won the division by virtue of tiebreakers.
The Packers also finished 9-8 and ahead of the Saints for the NFC’s final wild-card spot based on tiebreakers.
Raiders fans know the feeling. Carr was the team’s starting quarterback for nine seasons, but took it to the playoffs just twice. Carr missed the team’s first-round loss to the Texans because of injury on Jan. 7, 2017. He started the club’s 26-19 first-round loss to the Bengals on Jan. 15, 2022.
Carr was benched by then-Raiders coach Josh McDaniels for the final two games of the 2022 season. He was released in February and signed with the Saints in March.
The 32-year-old played well with the Saints, especially in the final month. He made all 17 starts and completed 68.4 percent of his passes. He threw for 3,878 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Carr, in New Orleans’ final five games, completed 74 percent of his passes and threw for 14 touchdowns against two interceptions.
By comparison, Raiders quarterbacks threw for 3,654 yards, 19 TDs and 18 interceptions in 17 games. Rookie Aidan O’Connell made 10 starts, Jimmy Garoppolo six and Brian Hoyer one.
The Raiders finished 8-9 and also missed the playoffs.
Review-Journal sports editor Allen Leiker can be reached at aleiker@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AllenLeikerLVRJ on X.