5 Biggest Stories Las Vegas Sports ( Dec 27 - Jan 3)

#5 Derek Carr comments on not making the playoffs

It's no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders are devastated to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, but no one seems as disappointed as Derek Carr. Probably because with fans calling for his job to go to Marcus Mariota after this disastrous season, it's safe to say that Carr s job is on the line heading into the future.

This is a team game, Carr said, via Vic Tafur of TheAthletic.com. It doesn t matter what one side of the ball did and what one side of the ball didn t. As a team, we did no accomplish anything close to what we wanted to accomplish, so it s not good enough. Not making the playoffs just can t be accepted.

#4 Kyle Busch comments on possibly doing the Indy double.

While the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 were the original doubleheader racing fans would get hyped about, NASCAR decided to raise the stakes a bit in 2021 by abandoning the oval completely and racing on the same road course as the IndyCar drivers. That s right! Two different disciplines of racing, two entirely different sets of drivers, both taking on one of the most historic tracks in racing history over the course of two days.

Beyondtheflag.com recently asked Kyle Busch about whether he thought he could do the new double. He didn t doubt that he could from a performance standpoint but mentioned having trouble finding a ride.

#3 Jon Gruden stands by controversial call during Dolphins game.

Jon Gruden has made a lot of tough decision this year, but the one he made in the closing minutes of the game against the Dolphins was on another level. Although Gruden was sure he needed Josh Jacobs to chew the clock, it ended up costing them after Ryan Fitzgerald pulled off a deep pass for a last-second touchdown. This put Miami ahead with only seconds to go and left Gruden puzzled.

"The play was to eliminate all the clock and all the timeouts and put them back with their back against the wall with 19 seconds left," Gruden said. "I don't regret it. I didn't want [Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to have the ball. ... I didn't want him to be in a four-down situation. He's a gunslinger; he was hot. That's all I can say. I don't regret it one bit. I just regret the results.

#2 Las Vegas Golden Knights being rumored for outdoor game at Lake Tahoe

The NHL was planning to hold a series of outdoor games in 2020, but the idea was derailed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. According to SportsNet Canada and the Athletic, the league is still considering having the Las Vegas Golden Knights compete outside at Lake Tahoe this year. Their opponents would be the Colorado Avalanche, and the game would take place without fans.

Other teams up for consideration are the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins, who would play a game the day after the Raiders. Again, no fans will be allowed in attendance for this special event, but it would still be a home game for the Las Vegas Raiders Golden Knights.

#1 Insider claims Raiders want a long-term deal with Nelson Agholor

Nelson Agholor might not have looked like much when he first arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada. In fact, he was just coming off a bad two-year period with the Philadelphia Eagles and was only signed to the Raiders on a one-year deal. This left Agholor with a lot to prove to his new team, and he definitely came up clutch for them in several situations.

Now, it wasn t enough to get them to the playoffs, or really even close, but Agholor was still one of the best receivers that the Raiders had this year. According to The Athletic, Agholor s performance was so good that the team wants to sign him to a longer deal. What is most interesting about this whole thing though is the report claims Agholor wants to test free agency this offseason.

In the end, Agholor currently sits with 47 receptions for 839 yards, 8 touchdowns and an average of 17.9 yards per game. That is a bombastic resume to have after such a slump, and no one can really blame him for wanting a change of scenery. Nothing against the Raiders or their future chances to win a Super Bowl, but Agholor deserves the chance to explore what his options are.