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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A byproduct of the NFL playing its games in front of few, if any, fans because of the novel coronavirus is that viewers can hear loud and clear all the quarterbacks hollering out their calls, cadences and credos. Along with all those audibles wrapped in super-secret code. And Derek Carr has been the biggest star of this pandemic phenomenon. Carr came up short in his showdown with Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night at empty Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where the Raiders lost a 35-31 thriller to the Kansas City Chiefs. But the Raiders QB was the social media darling for his audacious audibles, especially when he hollered out “ James Hardin!” before handing off for a 6-yard gain. Oh, the delicious irony of Carr not passing the ball on that play, something even the Raiders’ official Twitter account pointed out. Other audibles included: “Chris Mullin!” “Pistol Pete!” And, still scratching our heads over this one: “Purple Walrus!” Without crowds roaring, some salty language occasionally gets broadcast, like it did in the Dolphins-Broncos game Sunday. With the play clock about to expire, Denver had to call timeout just 37 seconds into its first drive, and left guard Dalton Risner threw his hands up in frustration a dropped a f-bomb for all to hear. Yes, even over the din of 5,351 fans, the last crowd that will be allowed into Empower Field at Mile High this season because of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Colorado. But the most entertaining phrases are coming from the mouths of quarterbacks, and Carr is king. In the first Raiders-Chiefs matchup of the season, Carr hollered out “Bruce Springstein!” and “Joe Montana!” In Las Vegas’ opener, he yelled out, “Tiger Woods!” and “Cindy Gruden!”, the wife of his his head coach. That prompted Jon Gruden to joke, “I don’t know what he’s been up to at the line of scrimmage, but better keep my wife out of it from now on.”

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COVID NFL: With Empty Stands Raiders Derek Carr Becomes King Of The Audacious Audibles