5 reasons Raiders can win the Super Bowl this year

3. Derek Carr recaptures 2016 form

For those numerous body-language and lip-reading experts out there, it was a grand year. Were head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr on the same page this past season? It has been a rough few years for the 28-year-old signal-caller, who looked like a rising start in 2016 when the Oakland Raiders made their last playoff appearance. That season, he threw for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions before going down with a broken leg in a Week 16 win over the Colts. Carr was sacked only 16 times and lost just three of his five fumbles that year.

Over the past two seasons, the five-year quarterback has played in a combined 31 contests and thrown for 41 scores opposed to 23 picks. And 2018 was an especially rough year for the former second-round selection from Fresno State. While Carr totaled personal highs in terms of completion percentage (68.9) and passing yards (4,049), it added up to only 19 scores and 10 interceptions. The talented performer was certainly under siege as he racked up career-high figures in fumbles (12) and fumbles lost (7) while being sacked 51 times – another personal worst.

Still, there’s a new right tackle in highly-paid Trent Brown. The acquisition of wide receiver Antonio Brown (on the Raiders’ non-football injury list as of this writing) gives Carr a performer who’s totaled at least 100 receptions in a record six consecutive seasons. Adding former Chargers’ wideout Tyrell Williams was a solid move as well. Add in a more consistent running game like the Raiders had in 2016 and Carr is capable of rebounding in a big way.

Next: No. 2