The Good, Bad and Ugly From the Las Vegas Raiders vs Bengals Game

3. The Ugly: The ongoing Derek Carr saga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8wdVl-iklg

It's no secret that Derek Carr had a lot of pressure on his shoulders coming into the 2021 season, and while he initially handled it very well, he is starting to struggle. Unfortunately for Carr, this is once again calling into question whether Carr is a franchise Quarterback or not.

Carr went 19 of 27 for 215 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against the Bengals, marking another example of him failing to put points on the board. This situation is even uglier because some fans are starting to call for Marcus Mariota to start over  Carr, only muddying the waters further. Keep in mind, this is the same kind of talk that went on non-stop in 2020 and even got fueled further when Carr was forced to sit out a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Las Vegas Raiders are 5-5 and risk missing out on a wild card spot if their three-game losing streak continues. Whether switching Carr for Mariota is the answer to the Raiders' problems or not remains to be seen, but the team is reaching a point where they have to try something new. Furthermore, Mariota is that rare type of dual-threat Quarterback that can break away for huge chunks of yards and still throw the ball deep when the situation calls for it. That might be what the Raiders need to make it to the playoffs.