Derek Carr Out For Season With Broken Fibula; Raiders Win 33-25 Over Colts
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) -- It was a somber Christmas Eve for Raiders and their fans after their star quarterback Derek Carr took a powerful hit on the field that took him out for the season.
Carr suffered a broken fibula and will spend Christmas Day in a hospital operating room.
Carr threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter before being helped off the field in the fourth quarter with an injured right leg.
It put a serious damper on the Oakland Raiders' 33-25 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
"I've been in a lot of locker rooms," said KPIX sportscaster Vern Glenn. "But I have never been in a quiet one like this one after a win. NO one was celebrating this one over the Colts."
Coach Jack Del Rio says Carr will be out indefinitely.
"As soon as I got out there, he said, `I think it's broken,"' coach Del Rio said.
Carr's injury leaves a dark cloud over the best season for the Raiders (12-3) in 14 years.
Oakland clinched its first playoff berth since 2002 last week and can win the AFC West and earn a first-round bye by winning next week in Denver, or if Kansas City loses one of its final two games.
But that is all secondary to Carr's health right now. The third-year quarterback has led a resurgence in Oakland with 28 TD passes and seven fourth-quarter comebacks this season.
Now the Raiders are preparing for life with Matt McGloin as quarterback.
In the only starting experience of his career, McGloin went 1-and-5 as a starter in 2013.
"I'm ready to go, I feel great," said McGloin after Saturday's game. "I know this team's around me, these guys, the staff, this organization will do a great job -- will help me out, embracing me and making sure we keep moving in the right direction."
Carr got hurt with Oakland leading 33-14 early in the fourth quarter when he was sacked by Trent Cole. Carr stayed on the ground for several minutes in pain as trainers came out to treat him.
"The whole stadium was quiet. You could hear a pin drop from section 105 in the press box," says Glenn.
With the crowd chanting "M-V-P! M-V-P!" Carr limped off the field without putting any pressure on his right leg. He was then taken away on a cart. There is no immediate word on the extent of the injury.
"Seeing him go down like that, it hurt us," linebacker Bruce Irvin said. "It didn't even feel like we won."
"It's very sad," left tackle Donald Penn said. "I'm very disappointed in myself because it was my guy that got him. I've been great all year. I was engaged with my guy, I took another step and my foot just slipped from up under me. I wish I could have that play back."
"Our MVP of the team, MVP of the league is hurt right now," Penn said. "It's going to be a big spot to fill. We have to do it. Next man up. It's not going to stop us. We have to find a way to keep this thing going because it's going good and we're not going to stop it from going good."
Carr's injury made it a down day all the way around. Andrew Luck threw two interceptions, Frank Gore lost a fumble and Indianapolis (7-8) allowed TDs on five straight drives to be eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight year.
Luck rallied the Colts from 26 points down to just eight with 2:33 left, but McGloin completed a 19-yard pass to Amari Cooper on third-and-8 on the next drive and the Raiders ran out the clock.
OUT OF NOWHERE: Rookie DeAndre Washington was a healthy inactive twice in the past four games as he fell behind fellow rookie Jalen Richard on the Raiders depth chart. With injuries at other spots, Washington has gotten the chance to play the past few weeks and is making the most of it. He ran for 99 yards on 12 carries and scored on a pair of 22-yard runs in the third quarter.
OPPORTUNISTIC PLAY: The Raiders turned two interceptions by Luck into two touchdowns in the first half.
Luck twice forced throws while under pressure and Nate Allen intercepted the first and Reggie Nelson got the second in the end zone. Carr made the Colts pay for those mistakes, connecting on TD throws to Andre Holmes and Jalen Richard on the ensuing drives.
MISSED KICKS: Sebastian Janikowski had made 266 of his previous 267 extra point attempts before missing twice in the second quarter. He was wide left after one touchdown and then had another attempt blocked in the final minute of the half for the Raiders. After making a PAT in the third quarter, Janikowski threw out his arms in celebration.
BOTCHED FAKE: The Colts bypassed a chance at early points when coach Chuck Pagano opted to call a fake rather than attempt a 48-yard field goal on the second drive. Holder Pat McAfee got stopped for no gain on the play.
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