The Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr finally believe that they have the pieces in place to succeed during the 2022 season. When it comes to Derek Carr predictions for the 2022 NFL season, it's clear that the expectations need to be raised to account for the improvements he has seen alongside him this offseason.
The Raiders overcame a ton of serious roadblocks last season to sneak their way into the postseason, and managed to post a very strong 2021 campaign. They made some serious upgrades this offseason, with the biggest of them all being the addition of Davante Adams to the offense. This should help Carr and Las Vegas' offense take some big strides forward this season.
With the 2022 season on the horizon, it's clear that the Raiders are hoping to be among the top teams in the AFC, and much of that will depend on how Carr performs. Let's take a look at three bold predictions for Carr this upcoming season and see what could be in store for him in the 2022 season.
3. Derek Carr will lead the NFL in passing touchdowns
Carr has everything in place to succeed during the 2022 season. Adams joins a supporting cast for Carr that already featured Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller, and Josh Jacobs out of the backfield. It's going to be tough for opposing defenses to slow all of these guys down at once.
Carr has never really racked up a ton of touchdowns as a passer throughout his career, and his career high of 32 touchdowns is solid, but not among the best in the NFL. But Carr has a lot working in his favor for that number to improve in 2022. Waller and Adams are dangerous red zone threats, and Renfrow proved last season he has a nose for the end zone too.
The biggest thing working for Carr is that he has a strong offensive-minded head coach in Josh McDaniels taking things over this season. McDaniels is going to want Carr to air it out early and often for the Raiders, and that could result in some fairly gaudy passing stats for Carr. When all is said and done, Carr will finish the season with the most passing touchdowns in the league.
2. Derek Carr and Davante Adams will be the best QB/WR tandem in the NFL
Quarterback/wide receiver tandems are extremely important to the success of an NFL offense. We saw two of the best in Matthew Stafford/Cooper Kupp and Joe Burrow/Ja'Marr Chase lead their teams to the Super Bowl last season. Now the Raiders have one of their own in Carr and Adams.
Carr and Adams have familiarity with each other after being teammates during their college days at Fresno State. That should help them produce right out of the gate, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them develop into one of the top quarterback/wide receiver duos in the entire league.
It says here that they will not only be among the best, but that they will actually be the best of the bunch. Adams has proven himself to be arguably the best all-around receiver in the NFL over the past two seasons, and his addition to the Raiders offense should help Carr take his game to the next level. If they can get on the same wavelength early on, the Carr/Adams connection could take the league by storm.
1. Derek Carr will lead the Las Vegas Raiders to a division title
If it weren't for Carr and the Raiders playing in the toughest division in the NFL, there would probably be more buzz surrounding them right now. The AFC West features four teams in the Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos that all have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Of course, only one team in the AFC will make the Super Bowl, so something's got to give here.
The Raiders are sort of an underdog in the West given all the competition that surrounds them. It's strange because they would probably be a favorite to win their division if they didn't play in the West. Still, they need to be taken seriously given all the upgrades they made this offseason.
In the end, the Raiders will emerge as the surprise victor in the AFC West, thanks in part to the improvements that Carr makes. Carr consistently helps Las Vegas find their way into the end zone, and their improved defense does the rest. Without a strong season from Carr, though, this isn't remotely possible. But Carr will be able to take a big step forward in 2022, and it will result in an unexpected division title for the Raiders.
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