Raiders’ Derek Carr keeping defenses and viewers guessing with ‘Purple Walrus’ and other audibles
Derek Carr may be even more creative before the snap than he is after it.
Carr has earned raves from Raiders coach Jon Gruden for his ability to turn nothing into something when plays break down. His choice of audibles, however occasionally leaves Gruden scratching his head.
“You think I came up with Purple Walrus?” Gruden said Wednesday in a teleconference. “I don’t know here he comes up with some of this.”
Quarterbacks use audibles to change plays at the line of scrimmage based on the way the defense is aligned. Teammates hear the magic word or words and change their assignment on the fly. With small crowds or no fans at all in the stands due to the coronavirus pandemic, television microphones have been able to pick up Carr’s colorful cadence.
In the Raiders’ 35-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, NBC broadcaster Al Michaels got a chuckle out of “Purple Walrus.”
In the Raiders’ first meeting with the Chiefs, Carr barked out “Bruce Springsteen” and “Joe Montana.”
A big NBA fan, Carr has used James Harden,” “Pistol Pete” and Chris Mullin.
He even used “Cindy Gruden” — the name of his head coach’s wife.
When the Raiders visit the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Carr could have an entirely different list of calls.
“I’ve had some good ones,” Carr said. “I’ve been able to have fun with it and throw certain players’ names in there. I’ve got some new ones obviously for this game. My mind’s always working, coming up with stuff, but don’t get it twisted. I don’t come up with all of them. I’m not that smart.”
Amateur sleuths on social media have taken their best shot at deciphering the Carr code.
“Some of my best friends, they’ll send me some tweets of people trying to figure out what it means,” Carr said. “It’s so funny how wrong people are, but it’s fun to read for us, because they’re trying to figure it out.”
Part of the verbal game is covering your tracks with dummy, or fake audibles. Words that mean nothing at all with Carr running the same play that was called in the huddle.
“You can give people a list of our audibles and things that I’ve said and they still have to memorize that list and know what I’m saying it and know what it means,” Carr said.
"Purple Walrus L-A, James Harden, Chris Mullin!"
Derek Carr's audibles are something else
(: ON)#nfl #Raiders pic.twitter.com/hsjo1wZ7GC
— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) November 23, 2020
Gruden wasn’t about to divulge the language of changing plays any more than a baseball manager would give out instructions for a bunt or hit and run.
“Just so you know, a lot of it is fake chatter. It’s like a baseball coach at third base, giving signals,” Gruden said. “You know what it means? Nothing.”
A baseball sign is typically live after an “indicator” is given, like for instance, the first sign after tipping the bill of the cap. They can also include “wipeoffs” where a sign is given and then removed. Football audibles can operate in the same way only with words.
“I’ve used probably 20 of ’em where I say the same word and sometimes it means something, sometimes it means nothing,” Carr said. “There are ways to protect it.”
Gruden is looking forward to getting fans back in the stands so the roar of the crowd drowns out the game within the game on the field.
“It’s a shame now we’re giving access to our snap count and our inventory of plays on live TV,” Gruden said. “I don’t know what the world is coming to.”
Gruden on reclamation projects Beasley, McKinley
Vic Beasley, an edge rusher signed to the practice squad, participated in his first practice. Takk McKinley, who was claimed on waivers is on a roster exemption but not on the field. The Kennedy-Richmond product failed physicals in both Cincinnati and with the 49ers before the Raiders got their chance to bring him in and he has yet to be cleared medically.
Both players represent the Raiders’ long-standing tradition of attempting to rejuvenate players who had fallen out of favor with their previous teams. McKinley, a former first-round draft pick, was released by Atlanta. Beasley was cut by Tennessee after playing in Atlanta from 2015 through 2019.
“I learned that from Al Davis when I was here,” Gruden said. “Learned that from Bill Walsh with the 49ers. Bring in a Hacksaw Reynolds, bring in a Fred Dean . . . Matt Millen, Ronnie Lott, guys that have played great before. There’s a chance they can play great again. Sometimes a change of scenery is what these guys need.”
ETCETERA
— Linebacker Cory Littleton was back at practice after spending 12 days on the COVID-19 reserve list. Gruden said he hopes defensive end Clelin Ferrell will return Thursday. Also on the list are nickel cornerback Lamarcus Joyner and practice squad running back Theo Riddick.
“We have a lot of moving parts right now,” Gruden said.
— Rookie cornerbacks Damon Arnette and Amik Robertson were ill and not at practice. Running back Jalen Richard (chest) returned to practice and was limited. Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, who hasn’t played since Oct. 25 against Tampa Bay, was a full participant.
Said Gruden of Arnette: “We like the makeup, we like the talent, but we have to get these guys out here. I don’t know enough about him as a player yet, I just know he has great potential. But I do not like that word at all. Potential means you haven’t done it yet.”