Raiders HC Jon Gruden: TE Darren Waller 'the best player I've ever coached'
Darren Waller was Derek Carr's favorite target in Monday's 33-27 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Seven of the veteran's first 10 targets went to Waller, with just one completion. However, the duo began to heat up after the first quarter, and Waller finished with 10 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 19 targets.
Waller tied for the most targets in a single game by a Raiders player since 1992, joining Tim Brown (2000), Jerry Rice (2002) and Amari Cooper (2017), per NFL Research.
After Monday's game, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was candid in his support of Waller, praising the athletic tight end following a career night.
When Waller heard of Gruden's praise, he simply responded, "Dang, that's crazy," according to Jimmy Durkin of The Athletic.
It's no surprise Waller is one of Carr's favorite targets. He draws comparison to Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and San Francisco 49ers veteran George Kittle.
Waller might not see 19 targets a game in the future, but he'll undoubtedly remain Carr's go-to receiver. After racking up more than 100 yards on Monday night, the 29-year-old is well on his way to recording another 1,000-plus yard season.
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