Carr Credits 'Mamba' Mentality For Late-Game Success

Derek Carr has shown a lot of growth from his rookie season with the Raiders and is getting a lot of national attention as a result of that growth. The third- year quarterback talked about his progress and a number of other topics during his weekly meeting with reporters.

Q: How hard is it to balance competitiveness while also making a smart play?

A: It’s really hard, especially in the flow of the game. Coach was happy that I stopped trying to run people over and use the stiff arm. Now he said, ‘Unless it’s for the Super Bowl, stop flipping over people too.’ I think everyone’s heart dropped when I did that, I think mine did too. I’ve done it a couple times, but I have to be smart. I saw what happened to RG III on the sideline, just a freak thing can always happen. So, you just have to always be, you have to be competitive, but you also have to be smart for the team.

Q: What’s the key to succeeding on late-game drives and how do you balance taking risks with being cautious?