Analysis: The blame for the Raiders’ fatal loss to the Steelers lies squarely with Derek Carr

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Don Wright/Associated Press

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) sacks Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Dec. 24 2022.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Posted Saturday, December 24, 2022 | 8:17 p.m.

Updated on Saturday, December 24, 2022 | 11:06 p.m.

Forget what looks like yet another blown lead of the season. Forget the unfamiliar conditions of bitter cold and wind. Forget all but the roughly 35 yards needed to get inside the field goal range and at least force overtime.

That’s all that stopped the Las Vegas Raiders from extending their playoff hopes with 43 seconds remaining and the three timeouts still available to them Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. It’s not a comfortable position to fall into, but his only good teams regularly sail behind good quarterback play.

But the Raiders and Derek Carr didn’t do that for most of the season, and they weren’t about to break the trend against the Steelers. Carr missed a through pass aimed at slot receiver Hunter Renfrow on the Readers’ second play to serve his third interception of the night, this time to cornerback Cameron Sutton.

Game over and, for all intents and purposes, season over. Steelers 13, Raiders 10.

When you turn the ball around, you give the other team more chances than you have, Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said in his postgame press conference. Its impossible to overcome.

The Raiders fell to 6-9 with the loss, setting a losing record on the year and nearly eliminating them from playoff pursuit. They will be officially eliminated if the Miami Dolphins beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday morning or if the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.

Both teams are more than field goal favourites.

I care so much, Carr said. When you don’t do your best, you let down your team, you let down your organization and your fans, it hurts. It breaks your heart but, at the end of the day, nobody cares. You get up and continue.

But it may be too late this time, and not just for the Raiders’ season. It could also be too late for Carr to secure his spot with the only franchise he claims he wants to play for.

Las Vegas can move on relatively easily from its nine-year-old quarterback this offseason, which has many viewing the latter part of the season as a referendum on its future. And with two losses where the passing game failed to start in the Raiders’ last three games, Carr’s potential trial period isn’t going to plan.

In addition to his three interceptions against the Steelers, Carr completed 16 of 30 passes for 174 yards and regularly saw his throws veer off course. The temperature plummeted to -10 degrees with the wind chill, by far the coldest game Carr had ever played.

He was clearly affected by the weather although he swore he wouldn’t during the week.

I thought he actually threw the ball right tonight, McDaniels said in his quarterback’s most lukewarm defense. Once the match started, the wind died down a bit. It was a bit towards their bench but it wasn’t terrible. I didn’t think it was super impactful.

It wasn’t on the opening player at least.

The Raiders offense initially looked supercharged as it rushed for 72 yards on 14 plays capped by slot receiver Hunter Renfrow juking two defenders to score on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Carr on a play of 3rd and 8th. Las Vegas would never be as effective for the rest of the night again despite Carr having a full set of sound weapons and the Pittsburgh secondary struggling throughout the year.

Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller, who were both activated from injured reserve two weeks ago, have been outstanding. The former had four catches for 42 yards with a few key conversions mixed in while the latter recorded four catches for 58 yards.

Carr targeted top receiver Davante Adams nine times, but was often wide as the Pro Bowler had no chance of catching too many passes thrown his way. Adams finished with two catches for 15 yards.

We’re talented, but talented doesn’t mean wins and I’ve seen that firsthand over different years,” Carr said.

The first interception, in all honesty, wasn’t entirely on Carr. His first shot of the second half wasn’t perfect, but it ricocheted high off tight end Foster Moreau and within reach of cornerback Arthur Maulet.

McDaniels also somewhat pardoned Carr’s second pick, on the next possession, but maybe the hell would reconsider after watching the movie. Carr threw a ball clear behind Renfrow on an incline to allow an easy interception by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The Raiders defense and Steelers kicker Chris Boswell saved Carr from mistakes for much of the night.

Boswell missed a pair of field goals from 43 and 52 yards while the Las Vegas defense never allowed Pittsburgh to enter the 20-yard line until 1:05 left in the game. The Raiders’ defense was weakened by then, with point carrier Chandler Jones (elbow) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (shoulder) leaving the game with injuries.

Jones was carried in the third quarter and Perryman also had to be carried to the locker room in the fourth before the vehicle broke down. Two staff members instead had to help the team captain to the locker room.

Both players were off the field for the Steelers’ game-winning 10-game, 76-yard drive. A pair of Steelers rookies, quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver George Pickens, capped it off by connecting on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 46 seconds left.

It was the first time the Raiders had hung out all night.

Again, not ideal but far from catastrophic. There was reason for hope during the seven seconds of playing time before Carr committed an unforgivable giveaway with the game on the line.

You lose the turnover battle in this league, most of the time you lose the game, McDaniels said. Our ability to take care of football was a strength earlier in the year. Obviously, we didn’t do a very good job of that last month. We got through it, but tonight it just cost us too many other opportunities.

Following Pittsburgh’s takeout trio, Carr led the NFL with 14 interceptions heading into Sunday games. This is unacceptable for a quarterback who has received everything he could wish for this offseason.

Carr might have thrown an even worse interception in a loss to the Rams two weeks ago, but it was easier to pin that similar late-game meltdown on McDaniels overall. It seemed at the time that the coach hadn’t given Carr enough opportunities to win the match.

Maybe what happened in Pittsburgh showed why McDaniels was hesitant to give Carr those chances. In a spot where the quarterback got them, he couldn’t capitalize.

Yes, it was horribly cold. And yes, the endgame situation was daunting.

But good teams and good quarterbacks often arrive anyway. The Raiders didn’t; Carr did not.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer. Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or

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