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Raiders report: Derek Carr, Jack Del Rio talk old times

Derek Carr already had a decent feel for the Washington Football Team defense before he watched even a minute of game film this week.

He used to see some of the main concepts every day in practice.

Washington’s defensive coordinator is Jack Del Rio, who was the head coach of the Raiders with Carr as his quarterback from 2015 to 2017.

“We know things about each other for sure, but different teams and different players,” Carr said. “I’ve grown. He’s grown.”

Del Rio’s defense did enough for the Football Team to get out of Allegiant Stadium with a 17-15 victory on Sunday.

Carr downplayed the significance any familiarity may have had on the result.

“He’s obviously doing his stuff, but he does some things differently sometimes too,” Carr said. “It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I know all the calls,’ and he knew my calls. It wasn’t anything like that.”

They did get to catch up after the game, burying any lingering animosity that could have been present after the two exchanged barbs in the media last year about Carr’s struggles in cold-weather games.

“I talked to him afterward,” Carr said. “We had a good talk, obviously I wish it was better for me, but we just expressed our love for one another and how thankful we were for the times that we had.”

Injury report

Kenyan Drake left the game in the first half with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury, though interim coach Rich Bisaccia didn’t have a formal update.

Josh Jacobs, Drake’s college teammate, immediately went over to check on him after he went to the ground in obvious pain.

“I felt so weird,” he said. “I went out there and talked to him before the trainers even got there. He was like, ‘It’s broke.’ I don’t know exactly what injuries he’s had, but I know he’s had significant injuries. So I’m just praying for him and for his family right now. His whole family was here today.”

Linebackers Nick Kwiatkoski and Denzel Perryman also suffered ankle injuries. Perryman did record 12 tackles before he got hurt, the NFL-leading 10th time he reached double figures in the category.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson was questionable for the game with a calf injury. He played sparingly, catching his only target for 14 yards a week after his breakout performance against Dallas.

“Last week he played 41 reps,” Bisaccia said. “I don’t think he’s played 41 plays in the last three years, four years of his career. He didn’t practice this week until Friday when he ran around a little bit.

“Again, I thought we missed him early on one of the shots down there … We’d love to get him the ball, but sometimes the coverage dictates (the ball) goes other places.”

Jacobs and Hunter Renfrow each had career highs with nine receptions in the game, with Renfrow going for 102 yards.

Checking the box

About the only thing missing from the stellar resume of rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs had been an interception. He finally got one on Sunday, though only after he dropped one in the first half.

The fifth-round pick out of Illinois came down with a deflected pass that had been batted in the air by Casey Hayward Jr. in the fourth quarter. The play led to a field goal that briefly put the Raiders in the lead.

It was similar to a play in the first half whenHobbs couldn’t reel in the interception off a deflection.

Hobbs has consistently been ranked among the top rookie defensive backs in the league by Pro Football Focus and has been getting hyped as one of the most impactful late-round draftees this season.

He’s not satisfied.

“The media is going to say I had a good year,” he said. “I think I could have had a better year. I think that’s the mentality you’ve got to have when you’re a player in this league. That’s just the mentality I’ve got.”

His interception Sunday was the Raiders’ first since Week 6.

Fellow rookie Malcolm Koonce also recorded his first career sack in his most extensive action of the season.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.

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