ESPN NFL Insider Mike Sando spends each Sunday with ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden and the Monday Night Football crew. This week, they're in Mexico City for the Oakland Raiders-Houston Texans matchup (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET). Here are some takeaways from Gruden on the game.
Derek Carr makes his Monday Night Football debut at a time when the Raiders quarterback appears ready for the international stage.
Oakland has a rich quarterback history, from Daryle Lamonica to Kenny Stabler and Jim Plunkett to Rich Gannon -- and Carr is next in line. He is as gifted as any quarterback in the NFL today for reasons that jump off the film.
Quick release: Visions of Dan Marino
Carr has one of the quickest releases you'll ever see. It starts with his feet. We always coached a wide base and a six-inch step with the front foot. Some guys don't step at all. Marino could deliver the ball while he was still in his backpedal. His film at Pittsburgh was incredible in that regard. Marino's arm was strong, of course, but the torque he could generate with his hips allowed him to deliver lasers without a big setup.
Some quarterbacks -- especially big, tall ones -- can look like they are throwing a javelin. They require a big step forward on their deliveries, and if they have a long arm windup, they will struggle. Marino had the all-time quickest release, but Carr is right behind him. He has little lower-body movement when he throws and he points the foot toward his target -- and that is it. The ball comes out so quickly and with such velocity and accuracy that defensive backs have very little time to react.
Above the neck: Carr has it
Set aside the arm talent, the spirals delivered into tight windows and the overall athletic ability -- Carr also has the ability to recognize defenses and adjust on the fly.
The above play from Oakland's Week 5 matchup against San Diego is one example. Carr recognized the Cover 2 look from the defense on third-and-19 with 44 seconds left in the second quarter. He used hand signals and verbal communication to help the Raiders get into their favorite Cover 2 beater: circus routes designed to open up downfield throws if the corners jump the short routes.
Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa beat left tackle Donald Penn on the play, putting Carr in immediate danger. There wasn't enough time for Carr to look downfield, but instead of turning Penn's problem into his own by taking a sack that could have killed the drive, Carr adjusted again. He dumped off to running back Jalen Richard over the middle for a 15-yard gain, setting up Sebastian Janikowski for a 56-yard field goal before the half. The Raiders would secure a 34-31 victory.
The Texans are going to challenge Carr. They disguise their coverages -- how many defenders are in the box, their blitzes and their leverage in the secondary. They got after Detroit's Matthew Stafford on third down in Week 8 by shifting from a single-safety blitz look with Cover 3 into a Tampa 2 alignment with a line stunt after the snap. It's rare to see a defense effectively disguise its intentions at all three levels on the same play, and the Texans do it well.
Athleticism: Zone reads and more
Carr is at his best throwing the football, but he's athletic enough for the Raiders to use zone-read concepts that help regulate the defense. It's hard for defenses to turn loose their pass rush when their defensive ends are playing surf techniques to make sure the quarterback doesn't gash them on the ground.
Some of the best throwing quarterbacks were sitting ducks in the pocket. Carr can escape trouble. He ran for 13 yards on third-and-10 in the final seconds at Tampa Bay in Week 8. He ran for a first down while trailing 24-19 against San Diego in Week 5. And he had an 11-yard run on third-and-9 during a back-and-forth game at New Orleans in Week 1.
Carr has enough fast-twitch mobility to elude a free blitzer, get outside and execute difficult throws. If a team plays two-deep, man-under coverage against the Raiders, Carr has shown he can make them pay with his legs.
Arm talent: Not just throwing hard
Carr stole the show at our QB Camp ahead of the 2014 NFL draft. The college and professional defensive backs who helped conduct the drills raved about him. When Carr threw into nets from a distance, he fired the ball so hard and accurately that he sent our GoPro camera flying.
Arm talent requires more than just arm strength, though. Carr's pass to Andre Holmes in the back of the end zone against Kansas City in Week 6 was a difficult throw, but Carr delivered it with perfect touch and accuracy. Holmes was covered. Rain was falling. Yet the throw was perfect.
The photos below show Carr's touchdown pass to tight end Mychal Rivera during the final two minutes of the fourth quarter at Tampa Bay.
These are extreme tight-window throws, and Carr makes them look easy. His receivers run their routes hard because they know Carr will get the ball to them. They also know he's going to protect them from defenders with his ball placement.
This is a multifaceted Raiders offense. The line is physical and nasty, Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper can make difficult catches, and the rotation at running back has been effective. But none of that matters as much without a gifted quarterback to bring it all together, and the Raiders have one again.
The sky is the limit for Carr and this offense.