The new Port Adelaide coach admits underestimating North Melbourne in his tenure-opening loss last weekend.
So he's on red-alert ahead of Sunday's Adelaide Oval encounter against an Essendon team widely panned for their 62-point loss to Hawthorn last start.
"With Essendon, you go watch their first quarter against Hawthorn - they played some really, really good football," Carr said.
"So that's what you prepare for: you prepare for the opposition's best."
Carr's head coaching debut was a 46-point loss to North Melbourne, with a leaky team defence costly.
"The starting point was around our team D (defence) and how we work better together as a team," he reflected.
"I'd say it's probably a mental thing to be connected and not get caught up in your own world sometimes.
"We understand that we have got a lot of work to do.
"When we get it right, we know what it looks like. It's about the consistency from start to finish."
Carr shouldered blame for Port's approach to the Kangaroos, who logged 28 scoring shots.
"We're an honest football team, an honest football club," he said.
"And you just don't shy away from performance. It's up for me to hold the players accountable, but also everyone to hold each other accountable."
Carr will again deploy Jason Horne-Francis in attack against Brad Scott's Bombers as the former No.1 pick finds fitness after surgeries in July and November last year on a foot.
"We want to see moments from Jason and him building those moments through the game," he said of Horne-Francis, who had 12 touches and kicked a goal against the Roos, his former club.
"For him, it's about building consistency through the game, from start to finish ... he's not far away.
"We know that he's got those special moments in him."
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