Todd Downing will take Raiders offense to next level
By Gagan Aujla
With new offensive coordinator Todd Downing taking the reigns, it is time the Raiders take their offense to the next level.
When former offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave was not retained by the Raiders, there was a sense of uneasiness in the air. All Musgrave did this past year was lead the Raiders to the sixth-total offense in the league.
While it would have been nice to keep the same staff intact, upgrading Downing to the offensive coordinator position was the right move. Musgrave had obvious issues with the feel and tempo of the game, which led to very questionable play-calling in
Downing has spent time in Minnesota, St. Louis, Detroit, and Buffalo, gaining ample experience by working with quarterbacks such as Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford. Downing then brought this experience to Oakland, and it dramatically impacted Derek Carr.
On #GMFB, @Raiders OC Todd Downing discussed working for Jack Del Rio and much more! https://t.co/bbs8dHjWmt
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 3, 2017
Since Downing came to Oakland in 2015, Carr’s development has skyrocketed. In his two years as quarterbacks coach, Downing has helped coach Carr to throw for 60 touchdowns against only 19 interceptions. Carr also gained a ton of notoriety and MVP consideration this past season.
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Downing’s young age could come as a concern to some, but it should excite Oakland fans (and Las Vegas fans) as well. Downing will free up the playbook for Carr much more than Musgrave ever did. As you can see from the clip above, both Carr and Downing share a unique player-coach bond. Downing has full trust in Carr, which could result in a bevy of offensive success in 2017.