Raiders’ Carr taking over just like MVP Gannon did in 2002
It’s not like we haven’t seen this before, Derek Carr getting off to a good start and the bandwagon beginning to roll downhill for the Raiders, who are 5-2 and atop the AFC West.
But rather than compare what’s been going on in Las Vegas to Carr’s tenure, let’s go back to the last time coach Jon Gruden made an abrupt exit from the Raiders.
Rich Gannon was trained and schooled in Gruden’s system of football for three years and 48 games. He never wanted to be pushed out of the nest, but that’s what happened when
Bill Callahan became head coach and Marc Trestman was elevated to offensive coordinator.
The circumstances are different this time, with Gruden’s resignation in the wake of years-old emails replacing a postseason departure and trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not long after the Raiders lost the “Tuck Rule” game to the New England Patriots.
Callahan and Trestman did a smart thing, leaning heavily on Gannon’s expertise and knowledge of the system and then expanding his responsibility with a pass-heavy attack that probably would have never played with Gruden, who believed (and still believes) balance to be the hallmark of any offense.
In Week 2, the Raiders visited the Pittsburgh Steelers, Callahan talked of how important it was to be balanced, and then Gannon went out and threw 41 passes in the first half — and 64 for the game. It was the starting gun to an 11-5 season and an MVP for Gannon, who set franchise records that still stand for attempts (618), completions (418) and yards (4,689). He passed for 300 or more yards 10 times, including six games in a row.
Just as important as the subtle philosophical tweak of