Quarterback pushes for team bonding

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Whatever happened to Derek Carr? Where did the Raiders hide Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree?

Those are the big questions the Raiders will take with them to Florida, where they’ll practice for a week before playing the Dolphins in a game that could make or break the Raiders’ season.

Carr, who could put a happy face on a scary jack-o’-lantern, said recently that the week in Florida was a grand opportunity for the team to bond. Like summer camp, only with better chow and higher pay.

Well, they’d better bond like crazy, because the Raiders are in a tailspin after Sunday’s 34-14 loss to the Bills.

And a big part of any bonding and improving will have to start with Carr. The season has been a bit of a disappointment for the man many expected to move into elite status this season.

After engineering a slick TD drive to open the game, Carr and the passing game disappeared in the cool drizzle. After the opening drive, until the end of the third quarter, Carr averaged 5.6 yards per pass attempt, and could not find Cooper (two catches through the first three quarters).

The Bills “definitely changed up the way they were covering some things,” Carr said.

As a result: “You’ve got to aggressively just keep taking what they give you,” Carr said, in what sounds like a contradiction in terms.

Frustrating? You don’t have to tell Cooper, Crabtree, and Raiders fans. One of the league’s most feared passing attacks shouldn’t get nullified by a pass defense that is suspect and was missing a couple of key defensive backs.

When Oakland finally took the Denver boot off Carr and the long ball, it was too late. The Raiders were down 27-7 early in the fourth quarter, still time. From the Buffalo 30, Crabtree had his man beat by a step in the end zone and Carr airmailed the pass.

Carr talked about how turnovers allowed the Bills to play soft and deep, forcing the Raiders to dink-n-dunk. But good teams do what they do, not what they’re allowed to do. Where did those Raiders go? Maybe they’ll find themselves in Florida.

Adrian Kraus / Associated Press Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had his second consecutive 300-yard passing game, but a reliance on shorter throws might have limited his top receivers against the Bills.