Quarterback Derek Carr
After an impressive win over the Houston Texans Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the resurgent Oakland Raiders are 8-2 and standing alone atop the mountain that is the AFC West.
Key to the team's turnaround – the Silver and Black haven't won eight game since 2011 – has been the play of quarterback Derek Carr, who after 10 games has established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate in 2016.
Carr has no doubt between spectacular in his third year as a Raider, but the ever-gracious quarterback is quick to deflect praise about his performance and instead shift the accolades to those around him.
In the most recent issue of ESPN The Magazine – available everywhere Dec. 2 – Mina Kimes takes a closer look at the Raiders offensive line, the men employed solely to keep No. 4 safe, and how their dominance has allowed the team as a whole to thrive.
You can read Kimes' full breakdown of Carr, the offensive line, and what makes them tick, here.
