Derek Carr and Josh McDaniels failing to click creates big problem for Raiders
A Saints shutout crushed Josh McDaniels and Derek Carr.
"It was embarrassing," Carr said in a postgame news conference. "We're so much better than that."
"I apologize to Raider Nation for that performance," McDaniels said following the 24-0 defeat.
The loss was the first Raiders shutout in eight years, adding to the disappointment of their early 2-5 skid.
The Raiders had high hopes when they hired McDaniels, a Bill Belichick disciple, believing he could catapult Carr to another level.
However, Carr has struggled to adjust to the new system. Through seven games, he's posting an 86.8 passer rating, below the league average and the third-lowest in his career.
Per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, Carr's 50.3 passer rating against the Saints was his third-lowest in a game. Also, The Raiders failed to cross midfield until the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, after McDaniels pulled Carr letting backup Jarrett Stidham play instead.
There isn't a QB controversy in Las Vegas, but the poor performance shows McDaniels and Carr aren't on the same page.
The season might plummet due to their lack of chemistry. The Raiders have an 11.4 percent chance to make the playoffs, per Dubow.
Carr and McDaniels need to take accountability, because this was a winnable game that slipped through their fingers.
The Saints are No.28 in scoring defense, allowing 25 points per game, yet the Raiders failed to score in New Orleans.
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