If the Raiders take a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-ron-parker-jersey , does that mean Derek Carr will be playing elsewhere in 2019? Not necessarily.Peter King writes in that a lot of people around the NFL think the Raiders will take a quarterback high but keep Carr as well.The Chiefs executed that strategy perfectly two years ago: They traded up into the Top 10 of the draft to select Patrick Mahomes, but they kept Alex Smith as their starter while Mahomes learned from the sideline as a rookie. Even though Smith took them to the playoffs that year, he was traded the following offseason, Mahomes became the starter, and he was the best quarterback in football. That worked out pretty well.It wouldn’t be hard for the Raiders to move on from Carr this year, as he would carry a dead cap hit of only $7.5 million if he were released. But the Raiders may choose to keep him around this year, even if Jon Gruden prefers a first-round draft pick as the team’s franchise quarterback once they’re playing in Las Vegas. The Raiders have three first round picks (fourth, 24th and 27th overall), so they’ll have plenty of options at quarterback. And one option might be taking a rookie, but giving him a year to learn as a backup. The only thing that might hold back the Kansas City Chiefs this season is their defense.That's because they haven't been able to hold back anybody.While the Chiefs have earned plenty of attention for their record-setting offense, led by Patrick Mahomes and several skill-position studs, the defense has struggled six weeks into the season.The unit is allowing a league-high 468.2 yards and more than 28 points per game.The latest glaring letdown came last Sunday night in New England, when the Chiefs had just forged a 40-all tie with 3 minutes left on Mahomes' 75-yard touchdown toss to Tyreek Hill. Their defense proceeded to allow Tom Brady and Co. to march the length of the field, getting within range for Stephen Gostkowski to drill a point-blank field goal and give the Patriots the win."When you score 40 points and you lose Womens Tony Gonzalez Jersey , you've got to look yourself in the mirror," Chiefs cornerback Orlando Scandrick said. "This team has got great character. It's one of the best groups of guys I've been around in my whole 11-year career. We'll be fine. I'm not worried about it at all."That makes one person.Among fans in bars and restaurants or call-ins on sports-talk radio, the biggest source of angst this week has been the porous defense. And the biggest point of discussion has been defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, whose group struggled so much last season that some thought he would be fired.Chiefs coach Andy Reid decided to stick with him, preferring continuity over change, and the result has been 鈥?well, a continuation of last season. The defensive line has been pushed around to the tune of 127.8 yards rushing per game, and the secondary is second-to-last in the NFL in yards passing."I don't want to single out anybody for not meeting supposed expectations," Sutton said Thursday. "I think everybody needs to elevate their game. You don't make quantum leaps. You make these small improvements individually, and you hope collectively if we all do that we have a chance to move this in the direction we'd all like it to be going."Still, the Patriots were particularly successful last weekend.Sony Michel and James White helped to grind out 173 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and Brady was 24 of 35 or 340 yards and a score. His favorite target down the stretch was Rob Gronkowski, who had three catches for 97 yards and helped set up the winning field goal."They got us on a couple of big plays there," Reid acknowledged. "Bob goes back and evaluates it Christian Okoye Jersey , we talk 鈥?'What can we help the guys with? What can the guys do to help themselves?' We're in it just like the players are in it. We're going to get you in the best position and if you are, then you have to look at technique. But our guys stand up. They tell you, 'Hey, listen, I messed up.'"If you have that you get better," Reid continued. "If there's a wall, eh, you're average. But we all take responsibility and that's what is important."Reid is the last to make excuses, but the Chiefs defense has two readily available.The first is the fact that Kansas City has roared to big leads in many of its games, forcing its opponents to air it out from behind. Many of the yards that the Chargers' Philip Rivers, the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and the Jaguars' Blake Bortles put up came in garbage time.They count toward the stats. They didn't count much toward the outcome.The second is injuries, which began hitting the Chiefs defense in training camp and have continued to be a problem. They're down three safeties in Eric Berry, Daniel Sorensen and Armani Watts 鈥?Berry and Sorensen are hopeful of playing this season 鈥?along with top pass rusher Justin Houston.Throw in nagging injuries to Dee Ford and Tanoh Kpassagnon, and the Chiefs were forced last week to sign Frank Zombo http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-breeland-speaks-jersey , who was cut in training camp, to give them some insurance against more injuries."Unfortunately you're going to have injuries," Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said, "but people come in and learn the scheme and have to be ready the same week. It's part of the business."Or, as Ford said, "you have to answer the bell at the end of the day.""We know that as a defense as a whole, we have to keep rocking and rolling," he said. "There's just a bunch of little things that we need to correct."Notes: Safety Eric Berry (heel), outside linebacker Justin Houston (hamstring) and C Mitch Morse (concussion) did not practice Thursday. ... P Dustin Colquitt is averaging a career-best 48.7 yards per punt, and special teams coach Dave Toub said there's a couple reasons for it. "We haven't had a lot of punts," Toub said, "and it's still warm. It's not winter yet. The cold weather hasn't hit. It's going to get harder as it gets further on, but he's off to a really good start."