Graney: Carr loses Round 1 to Herbert in AFC West duel

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — A preseason consensus across the NFL was that there would prove to be no better division this season than the AFC West.

A preseason consensus suggested that because, in large part, of the quarterback play of each team.

We received a glimpse of two such leaders Sunday in Derek Carr of the Raiders and Justin Herbert of the Chargers.

One was very good. The other not so much.

Herbert was far better over a 24-19 defeat of the Raiders in a season opener for both teams at SoFi Stadium.

Wasn’t a close fight between the two, really.

Carr more than played a leading role in the loss, throwing three interceptions on a day when the Raiders still had a chance to drive for a game-winning score in the final minutes.

Forcing the action

Herbert. Carr. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs. Russell Wilson of the Broncos. There is some definite star power across the division at the most important of positions. It will challenge each to be at their best when facing one another.

Carr wasn’t near it Sunday.

He would complete 22 of 37 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and the three picks, forcing action when it was neither there nor warranted. He tried too hard at inopportune times. Couldn’t make something of nothing and his team paid for it.

His passer rating: A forgettable 69.1.

“That is the type of stuff I will learn from and just need to be better for our team,” Carr said. “There’s no panic. That’s one of the best teams in the league. It didn’t feel like it was so hard to where we couldn’t accomplish something.”

He didn’t play a snap in the preseason for a new coach in a new system. Maybe there was some rust to things. More likely than not.

That, and there were some seriously undisciplined decisions.

This didn’t help: Those in front of Carr also struggled, an offensive line that mixed and matched seven bodies over four quarters. The Chargers would be credited with six sacks.

Some were because of coverage when Carr merely held onto the ball too long. But the position group management chose not to upgrade in the offseason hardly offered a stellar 2022 debut. Long ways to go up front. Again.

A closer look at Carr’s interceptions:

— The Chargers led 10-3 with under a minute to play in the half when Carr from his own 25 launched a pass down the middle intended for tight end Darren Waller. But the quarterback never saw linebacker Drue Tranquill.

Two plays later, Herbert hit wide receiver DeAndre Carter for a 23-yard score. What was a manageable margin suddenly went from seven to 14 at intermission.

— The Raiders had first-and-10 from the Chargers’ 44 early in the fourth quarter when Carr threw deep down the left sideline toward a streaking Davante Adams. But cornerback Asante Samuel undercut another underthrown ball and corralled it at the 2-yard line.

— On his team’s next possession, Carr from his 48 tried forcing a pass to wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, which was instead picked off by cornerback Bryce Callahan.

Round 1 showdown

This, on a day when Herbert completed 26 of 34 for 279 yards and three scores. And no interceptions for a rating of 129.4.

It was just sloppy by the visitors. Carr would also fumble on his team’s final two plays, both of which were recovered by the Raiders. Just sloppy.

“We just want to win,” Carr said. “We’ll turn on the film and I’ll be better. I made way too many aggressive decisions when I didn’t have to. That’s what it came down to — me forcing the ball to my guys in moments I didn’t need to.”

Round 1 of this showdown went to Herbert by a mile.

Just the beginning of these AFC West matchups.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.