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OAKLAND, Calif. – Jared Goff entered a tight room in the belly of Oakland-Alameda County and ordered the moment without saying a word. Dressed in a custom-made plum suit with thin blue windows, a white open-necked patterned shirt and a perfectly folded pocket, he positioned himself behind the lectern and cleared his throat. Then he sat up and looked in the audience.
The picture was that of a third year quarterback who is completely comfortable with what he is and what he does. For several seconds, no one said anything, as if the wait of the young star agreed after helping the Rams to defeat the Raiders 33-13 on "Monday Night Football". When a reporter finally started talking, Goff reached to his right and grabbed an open water bottle from a team assistant, took a sip, and then handed the bottle to the assistant without ever leaving the questioner.
He was in full control, just as he had been on the field completing 18 of his 33 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns without interceptions. The numbers are not impressive for someone who rushed for 3,804 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, but the deepest beauty was How he realized more than what he was in the final results. Goff played more reluctantly, trying to keep the ball in tight spaces he could have avoided a year ago as he learned a new attack under new coach Sean McVay and was trying to bounce back a bad rookie season.
"It's really the result of his (personal) confidence and his confidence in his players in a strong position," McVay said. "He's going to give them a chance, he'll trust me." "I like the fact that it's aggressive, as long as it's in the context of what the blanket and what the company says." 39, game call. "
Goff started slowly after not taking a shot in the pre-season. His ability to rust was compounded by the Raiders' ability to control the ball all minutes in the first quarter, except for three minutes. But he began to find his pace in the second half, when he completed 14 of 23 passes for 173 yards. Although some have indicated their willingness to go deep – twice, Brandin Cooks, a fast newcomer, drew 87 yards on passes and two more, Robert Woods in inches. the ball in the tight cover that reflected a difference in the 2017 Pro Bowler, a point that could be attributed to his confidence in the offensive and his maturing as a signal caller.
"I think all that," said Goff. "It's just about trusting in what we do and actually understanding the diagram and understanding what we are trying to do and where are the windows and not to guess – and to be really sure of you.
The same can not be said for his counterpart, quarterback Raiders Derek Carr. After completing 20 of his 24 passes for 199 yards in the first half, he has appeared completely out of the race in the last two quarters, throwing only 104 yards with two interceptions of the quarter, including back Marcus Peters for a touchdown. . There was no game to play either, and on the first linebacker Cory Littleton was the only receiver in the vicinity. Why did Carr do this throw? Maybe he was in a hurry and was trying to get things moving, but it seemed like a clock was ringing in his head and he was determined to get rid of the ball.
These things can not happen if the Raiders have to succeed this season. Although some refuse to admit, 2018 will be a referendum on Carr as much as on the new / former coach Jon Gruden. The fifth-year pro, who has launched three total interceptions against the Rams, must be at the controls on the field and in the locker room, especially given the recent exchange that sent the defensive player of the year 2016 (and defensive captain ) Khalil. Mack to the bears.
Carr has signed a $ 125 million extension before last season, despite the end of his 2016 campaign with a broken leg. Then he was never really right in 2017. He now has a coach who evaluates everyone, a coach who is dedicated solely to the bottom line, a coach who believes that a lot of things are needed. Gruden has always been the toughest with his quarterbacks, and he can not compete with anyone whose performance does not match his contract – not when the team just received a pair of picks from first round in the Mack trade.
To say that this is a "prove it" year for Carr is not exaggerated. Former coaches loved his athletic skills, but sometimes wondered if he had the courage to be the kind of leader who could take control of a team and a match, which could make them angry and hurtful. at ease. . Even Gruden acknowledged after taking the job that he wanted Carr to take more control in the field and in the locker room. We have not seen this Monday night. Will we go from the front? The answer is much more murky today than it was 24 hours ago.
Follow Jim Trotter on Twitter @JimTrotter_NFL.
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