5 players the Raiders need to play well to beat the Dolphins

Derek Carr has to assert himself as the best quarterback in this football game

Even if there was a scary moment in Sunday’s road win over Pittsburgh, quarterback Derek Carr battled through an ankle injury to propel his team to victory. This was the same ankle that Carr broke to end his magical 2016 NFL season. Obviously, he did not want to go down in the same manner. While he may not be 100 percent, he must play through pain and be a star quarterback.

With Tagovailoa’s x-rays coming back negative, this game between old AFC rivals will be a battle of mental toughness among their starting quarterbacks. Though Miami could make it a game if Tagovailoa has to give way to Brissett, the last thing the Raiders will want is for an injured Carr to hand over the reins to the offense to Nathan Peterman. Marcus Mariota is out for the time being.

It is still very early into the season, but as long as the Raiders keep winning games in spectacular fashion, Carr will be near the front of the NFL MVP conversation. Though the early front-runner is probably Kyle Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, Carr has the talent, and possibly the team to pull this off. That is why him showing up in a big way vs. a reeling Dolphins team is so very important.

Sunday is a tremendous opportunity for Carr to assert himself as a top-10 passer in the league.