BALTIMORE -- Derek Carr was hurt twice Sunday, though neither injury kept him on the sideline. Officials demanded the Raiders quarterback be evaluated for a concussion in the first half, but he quickly cleared the protocol.
His right ankle got twisted in the fourth quarter when Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs returned Carr's fumble for a touchdown, and the QB never missed a snap.
“As soon as it happened, you grab it because it’s painful, and you try to stand up and it’s not good, but they ran it back, so I had to get ready as fast as I could," Carr said. "I told the trainer to hurry up and tape it so I could finish with my teammates.”
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That was important for Carr, despite the Raiders being down three scores in an eventual 34-17 loss to the Ravens.
[RELATED: Takeaways from Sunday's loss in Baltimore]
It will be important for Carr to complete the practice week and play in next week’s game against the Chiefs, too. He doesn’t believe his ankle issue will prevent him from upcoming on-field activities.
“I hope not. I’ll know when I get off the flight but, as it sits right now, I’ll be fine,” Carr said. “For sure on Sunday I’m playing. I’m practicing. I’m playing. It’s just a matter of what it’s going to feel like. It’s nothing to worry about.
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“I’ve had a bad ankle thing before, and I couldn’t finish. With this one, I’ll be all right.”
Odds of that outcome could’ve been greater had Raiders coach Jon Gruden pulled Carr after the injury. Oakland was down three scores with six minutes left, so lifting Carr could’ve been smart. Hindsight made that more attractive, considering Carr was sacked on his first three plays after the injury.
The veteran kept getting up, determined to see the game through to the end.
“It’s important because I want my teammates to know that, if I can possibly stand up, I’m going to finish with them," Carr said. "That’s the case in good times or bad. We do this together.
"There have been a lot of situations over the years where I’ve watched football games and people take the easy way out. That’s not who I am. I want to look at my boys in the face some day and tell them that, no matter what, I saw it out. Even if it’s hard, that’s why isn’t important to me.”
