d becoming more efficient. Hes going to be an important piece to their

ALAMEDA, Calif. Willie Brown Youth Jersey . - Derek Carr believes he has made steady progress in his rookie season as an NFL quarterback even if it hasnt always been evident in his results.Those subtle steps to becoming a more polished pro passer paid off in a big way last week in the signature performance of Carrs rookie season with the Oakland Raiders.Carr threw three touchdown passes and was in complete control of the game when the Raiders beat their Bay Area rivals last Sunday in a 24-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.Carr now looks to follow that up with another strong performance this week when Oakland (2-11) visits Kansas City (7-6) for the second meeting between the teams in less than four weeks.The biggest development for Carr has been the way he has been able to control defences with his eyes or shoulders, creating openings for his receivers. Carr said he did that a little in college but had had to learn to do it more often and with more subtlety as a pro.Its been cool to learn because your eyes can dictate a lot of throws being open, he said Wednesday. You can help yourself out a lot, especially in zone coverages and all those things. Its been nice to be able to progress and do it in games, not just practice.In a season that started with 10 straight losses and included coach Dennis Allens firing, Carr has provided a reason for optimism with his play at quarterback. He threw two touchdown passes in a turnover-free debut against the New York Jets, almost led a late rally at New England, threw four TD passes in a loss to San Diego and threw a winning TD pass last month against Kansas City.But the performance against the 49ers was by far his best. Carr completed 22 of 28 passes for 254 yards with no turnovers, posting the highest passer rating (140.2) for an Oakland quarterback since Rich Gannon had a 141.9 against the Giants in 2001.It came a week after the low point of his season when he threw two interceptions and got pulled for Matt Schaub in the fourth quarter of a 52-0 loss at St. Louis that was Oaklands most lopsided defeat since 1961.But even in that game, Carr saw improvement in the way he was able to control the defence.Ive seen him grow a lot that way, interim coach Tony Sparano said. Hes done a good job. He can use his vision really well. Hes starting to play with the secondary that way with his eyes and has a much more definitive plan on what hes doing with the football before the snap.Those changes helped Carr succeed in crucial situations last week when the offensive line gave him plenty of time to throw. Carr completed 9 of 10 passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns on third down. He even handled the little pressure he faced well, completing 6 of 7 for 93 yards in those situations, according to Pro Football Focus.For the season, Carr has completed 60.5 per cent of his passes for 2,676 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a 78.3 passer rating. He has also been sacked just 16 times as he has shown the ability to get rid of the ball quickly after watching his older brother David get sacked an NFL record 76 times as a rookie in 2002 with Houston.He knows how to move in the pocket, Kansas City defensive lineman Dontari Poe said. He doesnt play like a rookie at all. Hes a real good quarterback. It really wasnt a secret though. We knew that watching film on him.NOTES: CB Tarell Brown did not practice after leaving Sundays game briefly with an injured right leg. ... WR Rod Streater, who is still on short-term IR, did not practice because of soreness in his broken foot. ... WR Denarius Moore (knee, ankle) got hurt away from the building and did not practice. ... RT Menelik Watson (ankle, foot) also was sidelined. ... The Raiders signed WR Kenny Shaw and TE Evan Wilson to the practice squad.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Ted Hendricks Raiders Jersey . Simona Halep of Romania claimed the fifth title of her career by beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the womens final. After trading sets, Gasquet trailed 4-3 in the decider but broke back to 4-4 in a game that went to seven deuces with Kukushkin constantly failing on his forehand shots. Oakland Raiders Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-Hunter-Renfrow-Inverted-Jersey/ .James scored 29 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a four-game losing streak with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.FIVE QUICK NBA HOOPS THOUGHTS Happy Holidays to all. May each of you have a wonderful Holiday Season. Lets chat some hoops. 1. JOSE CALDERON (Mavericks): Loved what I saw from him last Friday night in Dallas. Tremendous confidence right now in his shooting which sets the table for his screen and roll game. Playing in the back court with Monta Ellis has opened up his game and having a future Hall of Famer in Dirk Nowitzki to attract double teams is ideal for him. Good landing spot for him. 2. MARCO BELINELLI (Spurs): Another former Raptor. Boy, the Bulls could sure use him now with their offensive woes. Terrific pickup for his new team. Hes got three-point shooting ability and nifty creativity off the bounce. Good competitor that fits the best System team in the league. Isnt it amazing? The Spurs always find a way to add a guy who makes sense for their team. They know what theyre doing. 3. JOHN SALMONS (Raptors): Its funny how guys grow on you when you see them at work each day. I have a better appreciation of hiss game up close. Dave Casper Jersey. Always respected his scoring punch yet never appreciated how smart a player he is. He is a sound defender and can create scoring chances for teammates. Heady and capable player. 4. ARRON AFFLALO (Magic): His name gets tossed around in trade talks yet he produces. A steady combo guard who has good versatility in his game. Like him. Energetic guy who can put pressure on defences. If youre looking to add a third guard on a very good team hes an ideal guy to target. 5. JEREMY LAMB (Thunder): Scott Brooks now has more firepower off his bench with Reggie Jackson and this guy. Shooting right around 40 per cent from three-point range and is getting more confident in playing in the lane with physical contact. Uses screens well and moves without the ball with a purpose. Big part of the James Harden trade for GM Sam Presti. Hes slowing his game down, reading situations better and becoming more efficient. Hes going to be an important piece to their success as this season progresses. ' ' '