Stokley: Derek Carr injury takes Raiders out of AFC West race

Oct 3, 2017, 10:10 PM

DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 1: Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders stands on the field during player warm ups before a game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 1, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

After Derek Carr left the game midway through the third quarter against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the original thought was the Oakland Raiders quarterback and 2016 MVP candidate had been suffering back spasms.

On Monday, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio revealed a nastier prognosis: Carr has a transverse process fracture in his back that will keep him out anywhere between two and six weeks.

“I told him the team will take care of business while he’s healing and just get healed up,” Del Rio said. “When he can come back he’ll come back.”

But “Stokley & Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley said on Tuesday that, depending on how long Carr is out, he might come back to a Raiders team fighting just to stay alive in the playoff race, let alone the AFC West title battle.

“I think this takes them out of the West, especially the way the Chiefs are playing and the way the Broncos are playing,” Stokley said.

The Raiders currently sit in third plays in the division at 2-2, behind the 3-1 Broncos who beat them on Sunday and the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Stokley compared Carr’s most recent absence due to injury to last season, when he broke his leg in Week 17. Backup Connor Cook took over the helm, losing the next two games — the regular season finale against the Broncos and a wild card playoff game against the Houston Texans.

However, Stokley said that Oakland’s hopes might be better with 2017 backup E.J. Manuel, who took over for Carr on Sunday, compared to Cook.

“You look at where they are now, I think they’re in a better situation with E.J. Manuel. He played good football in a tough spot,” Stokley said. “He hasn’t gotten a lot of reps, and he stepped in and looked good, looked calm. He made some great throws.”

Manuel went 11-for-17 for 106 yards and a late interception in just more than a quarter of action against the Broncos. In that time, tight end Jared Cook dropped a pass that would have led to a touchdown to pull Oakland within two points, 16-14.

But, entering a game as a sub and starting one as “the guy” are two different animals, Stokley said, pointing to how Broncos backup Paxton Lynch fared last season.

“(Lynch) came in against (Tampa) and he looked pretty good. … And then the next game, when had to be the starter and the guy, it was a lot different,” Stokley said. “So we’ll see how E.J. Manuel plays.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.