Raiders Carr, McDaniels Underrated

For both Las Vegas Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Derek Carr, there is a lot to prove this upcoming season. 

McDaniels will be looking to put doubts regarding his ability to be a successful head coach to rest, and Carr will be looking to prove he has what it takes to lead the Raiders on a Super Bowl run. 

For the majority of critics, though, they'll believe it when they see it, a likely reason why the two were ranked outside the top-five of CBS Sports ranking of new head coach-quarterback duos. 

The list is topped by Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady and Russel Wilson, and their new head coaches, Todd Bowles and Nathaniel Hackett. 

Considering the quarterbacks' pedigrees, it's understandable why they would be at the top, but the two ahead of the Raiders duo can't say the same. 

The Indianapolis Colts duo of quarterback Matt Ryan and Coach Frank Reich are at four, while Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Coach Kevin O'Connell are at five. 

Comparing those team's duos to the Raiders at six, there are certainly arguments to be made that Carr and McDaniels could rank higher. 

Ryan does have an MVP award and Super Bowl appearance on his resume, but he's far removed from the peak years of his career. 

It can be said Reich has done a good job as the Colts' coach over the last four years, but he also hasn't seen any notable postseason success. 

Going to the Vikings, Cousins has always put up great numbers on paper, but his career has been defined by a lack of team success and coming up short in big games. 

On the other hand, O'Connell is a rookie head coach who will be looking to incorporate his background as a former Sean McVay assistant to help Cousins turn a corner. 

While Ryan has the better career resume, Carr is the younger and a more dynamic quarterback to build around right now. 

Cousins might have had statistically better seasons, but one only has to look back at last season to know that Carr has what it takes to rally a team through adversity in big moments. 

Coaching-wise, McDaniels previous failure as a head coach holds a lot of influence, but he's also considered to be one of the best offensive minds in football. 

McDaniels' potential ceiling is arguably higher than what O'Connell brings and what Reich has done with the Colts, making the Raiders' duo one with tremendous upside.