GREEN BAY -- How long did it take for a sense of déjà vu to come over Derek Carr after he fumbled in the end zone during the second quarter Sunday, killing an Oakland Raiders drive and giving the ball to the Green Bay Packers on a touchback?
"As soon as it happened," said a sheepish Carr, after the Raiders fell to the Packers, 42-24.
No wonder. Two years ago, Carr lost the ball trying to stretch for the pylon and a game-winning touchdown on a third-and-3 scramble from the 8-yard line with 31 seconds to play against the Dallas Cowboys in Oakland.
At the time, he stuck his chest out and said that, given the same circumstance, he would do it again and, yes, dive for the pylon despite the consequences from Cowboys safety Jeff Heath's hit.
What about now, after again diving and reaching forward with his non-dominant left hand -- this time on second-and-goal from the 2 with 1:55 to play in the first half -- and losing possession after being pushed by Packers linebacker Blake Martinez?
Carr was not as bold as before.
"Man, it's so hard not to try," he said. "That's everything I've ever been about in my life, is try. I've got to go two hands, right? Trying to extend with one hand isn't smart; that was stupid.
"It sucks, man. It's my fault. I let my team down on that."
Of course, one play does not make a game -- not when you lose by 18 points -- and the Raiders' defense gave up nine plays of at least 20 yards to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.
But, as Raiders coach Jon Gruden acknowledged, there is a fine line between trying to make a play and trying to do too much.
"I compliment his effort," said Gruden, who was still a month away from leaving the Monday Night Football broadcast booth to return to the Raiders when Carr fumbled against Dallas while trailing by three, 20-17.
"The ball slipped out of his hands and it was a big play in the game."
Big? The Raiders went from potentially taking a 17-14 lead into the half at Green Bay to trailing 28-10 the next time Carr took a meaningful snap in the third quarter.
"That's absolutely a big swing," said tight end Darren Waller, who had his first two touchdown receptions as a Raider among his seven catches for 126 yards.
"Just because you don't know what kind of boost scoring right there can give to the defense. Finishing is key. But in the locker room, we all love Derek and move forward. Just one play doesn't put a blemish on who he is to us and who he is as a quarterback. But it's big, as far as a team wanting to set up the defense in a positive way, so we've just got to capitalize and just finish better ... I love Derek just as much as I did before."
The Raiders left three touchdowns on the Lambeau Field grass -- Carr's fumble, running back Josh Jacobs getting stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the 1 for no gain early in the fourth quarter, and Carr's late-fourth-quarter, end-zone interception on a 15-yard pass aimed at Waller.
Still, it was the replay of Carr's end-zone fumble that set the tone for so many missteps later.
"It's one of those plays where, if you score, everyone's high-fiving you," Carr said. "You fumble the ball, everyone's like, 'Do it better.'
"I understand I messed up. I dropped the ball, right? Go with two hands next time, I've got to practice that. I've got to get better at that, for sure. That's completely my fault."