Carr, Mack key as Raiders' second Jon Gruden era gets rolling

For the Oakland Raiders to contend for the playoffs this season, here are the five players who can help make that happen:

Derek Carr, quarterback: As Carr goes, so go the Raiders. It truly is as simple as that. In 2016, Carr had the Raiders off to a 12-3 start, then broke his leg on a sack but still finished tied for third in NFL MVP voting. Last season, a shellshocked Carr suffered three broken bones in his back in Week 4 and played unevenly after missing one game. His Total QBR dropped from 54.6 in 2016 to 47.2 in 2017, and Oakland is a combined 6-12 since Carr’s leg injury, including a playoff loss. One of Jon Gruden’s all-time favorite pupils in his QB Camp series, Carr gets the real…