Carr's Driving Force

Looking to revitalize a stalled career, one would think coming to New York would be the last choice for former number one overall pick David Carr. After all playing behind the Super Bowl MVP is hardly an enviable situation. However, Carr clearly disagrees.

“I think (it’s good) just to be around a winning environment, regardless of the situation at quarterback,” Carr said. “I feel that just being around a good group of guys that have the camaraderie that these guys have is good. I watched them throughout the playoffs and it was neat to see. You don’t see that at this level. You see it in college and high school with how they play together. There are no selfish guys. It just seemed like the p lace I wanted to be.”

Carr signed with the Giants on March 3 and participated in their offseason conditioning program. He hurt his foot working out in California prior to camp and was placed on the non-football injury list, forcing him to miss the first few days of camp.

Carr is competing with Anthony Wright and Andre’ Woodson for the Giants’ two backup spots behind Eli Manning. He believes he will not be affected by his late start in camp.

“There’s a lot of time,” Carr said. “We haven’t even played our first preseason game yet. I have plenty of time to go out there and show what I can do.”

To say that Carr and Manning have taken different paths after being the draft’s top pick would be an understatement.

After a stellar career at Fresno State, Carr was chosen first o verall by Houston in 2002. Carr started every game as a rookie, taking a beating in the process. He was sacked an NFL-record 76 times. In five seasons with the Texans, Carr absorbed an astounding 249 sacks.

After Carr was released by the Texans in 2007 he signed with Carolina.

“It’s been rough,” said Carr, who has completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 14,026 yards, 62 touchdowns and 70 interceptions. “There have been some ups and some downs, mostly downs, but I still know I can play and still have confidence in what I can do. Throwing a football is throwing a football and I’ve been doing that my whole life. I just have to get out there and make some plays and I’ll feel better.”

And then his career can continue, wherever that may be.

“I know the level I can play at,” he said. “There are a lot of things that go into that; that’s why it’s such a team game and that’s why I20came to the best team. I wanted to be on the best team, so that those variables were out of it and I can just go out and once again establish myself and prove that I can do what I can do. Everything else will take care of itself.”