Derek Carr gets creative in guiding latest comeback victory

INDIANAPOLIS — The drive Derek Carr led for a last-second field goal to beat the Colts 23-20 on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium was the 29th game-winner of his NFL career.

He engineered far more than that as a youngster in the backyard.

“I’m not going to lie to you, when I was a kid that was all I practiced,” he said after helping keep the Raiders in control of their playoff destiny. “You can ask my dad, my mom and my brothers. When I was a kid, I would go outside for like three hours and I’d just count myself down on the clock and shoot the last shot or throw the last pass or catch the last pass. I always just loved that moment, if I’m honest.”

His passion for the dramatic is a possible reason he was so drawn to a certain NBA legend as one of his favorite athletes.

“Maybe that’s why I love Kobe so much. He would always want that shot at the end,” Carr said. “My heart and my mind are just wired to love those moments. Whenever we get in those moments, seeing the confidence on my teammates’ faces knowing we can do this, it’s a cool thing for me.”

What was cool for his coach was the creativity Carr displayed throughout Sunday’s victory. On the game’s most pivotal play, he ducked under an oncoming blitzer and stepped up in the pocket before deftly dropping a pass on the run over Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore and into the hands of Hunter Renfrow.

“The thing I thought was really exciting about him today was he had some creative plays in some big situations,” interim coach Rich Bisaccia said. “He’s always thrown the ball well on the run and he’s certainly athletic. Anytime he has the ability to step up and create like that, he’s made big plays for us.”

Carr didn’t have an official rushing attempt, but he moved effectively in the pocket and on the run to escape while he kept his eyes up field and made some of the biggest plays of the game after the original read wasn’t there.

“I’m not going to rush for 100 yards, but I can create and extend the play a little longer when I get outside,’ he said. “With the game on the line like that, I’m just trying to keep every play alive as long as I can.”

Renfrow took full advantage, finishing with seven catches for 76 yards. His touchdown catch on a fourth-down play early in the fourth quarter gave the Raiders the lead.

Zay Jones busted out with eight catches for 120 yards.

“Derek has a game that has evolved in my eyes as far as being able to get out of the pocket and scramble and find someone,” Jones said. “The play with Hunter toward the end just shows a lot about who he is as a quarterback.”

Of course, Carr’s not opposed to playing the position more traditionally at times.

“I kind of like reading a defense and shredding them too,” he said. “That’s fun. I’m just trying to do my best to complete every pass every time I throw it.”

He wasn’t perfect, but he was more than good enough on Sunday. Carr threw for 255 yards and a touchdown while completing 24 of 31 attempts, though he was intercepted twice.

The only stat that mattered was the one victory added to the win column.

Carr’s performance, and his off-schedule plays, was a major reason for it.

“Those are the plays you see so many of those great quarterbacks make and I’m not putting my name in there, but you see Aaron (Rodgers) make them, you see Patrick (Mahomes) and those guys,” he said. “Those are plays that aren’t drawn up. That’s your receivers keeping plays alive and helping you out by making plays on the ball. … We don’t do it every play, but for the most part whenever we can do that stuff, it opens up our offense and it helped us win a football game today, that’s for sure.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.