The last time Jon Gruden took a Raiders team to Foxborough, the infamous “Tuck Rule” game happened, and a Patriots dynasty was born in the snow. More than 18 years later, Gruden is back with the Las Vegas Raiders (instead of the Oakland name), and Bill Belichick is still on the New England sideline, though Tom Brady has moved on.
The 2-0 Raiders meet the 1-1 Patriots at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 27, at Gillette Stadium with regional coverage on CBS. The Patriots are six-and-a-half point favorites at home.
These teams have met 35 times, three in the playoffs, with the Patriots holding a 19-15-1 lead. The last time they met was a New England 38-8 win on November 19, 2017, in Mexico City. New England has won five in a row dating back to a 2002 Raiders win in Oakland, and their last home loss in the series was in 1994.
Las Vegas Raiders Outlook: Run The Ball
The Raiders are 2-0 against the spread this season, and the over hit in both of their wins against Carolina and New Orleans. Las Vegas ranks in the top 15 in the league in rushing yards, passing yards, and total yards. Their 34.0 points per game rank fourth in the NFL.
However, the defense has struggled a bit, allowing 285.5 passing yards per game, 30th in the league, and they have just one takeaway.
Running back Josh Jacobs leads the Raiders offense with 181 yards on 52 carries while scoring three touchdowns. He’s carried the ball on 79% of the Raiders run plays while also catching seven balls for another 63 yards.
Quarterback Derek Carr has protected the ball much better than he did in 2019. So far, he hasn’t thrown an interception, and he’s completed 73.5% of his passes. The veteran signal-caller has thrown for 523 yards and four touchdowns in two games, and has been sacked just three times.
Carr’s top target is tight end Darren Waller, who has 18 catches for 150 yards in two games. With 24 targets in two games, Carr looks for Waller nearly 40% of the time he drops back. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow has five catches for 58 yards while rookie wideout Henry Ruggs III has four catches for 59 yards.
The defense got their first turnover against the Saints when linebacker Nicholas Morrow picked off Drew Brees. They have just one sack on the season and now face the challenge of containing Patriots quarterback Cam Newton.
New England Patriots Outlook: Cam Is Back
The Patriots lost at the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football with a game-ending goal-line stand, but Newton continued to look like the player who won an MVP award five years ago. With Newton leading the way, the Patriots rank eighth in the NFL in passing yards, tenth in rushing yards, and eighth in total yards through two games.
The defense is middle of the pack, ranking 11th against the pass, 17th against the run, and 15th in points allowed.
Newton has completed 71% of his passes in two games for 552 yards and one touchdown. He has thrown an interception while also rushing for a team-best 122 yards and four scores. After using his legs to lead the team in rushing in the win over Miami, Newton got the pass-game going against Seattle, finding receiver Julian Edelman eight times for 179 yards.
Edelman leads the wideouts on the season with 13 catches for 236 yards. N’Keal Harry also has 13 catches, totaling 111 yards, and Damiere Byrd has six catches for 72 yards.
The Patriots running backs have struggled to get going alongside Newton. Sony Michel has 17 carries for 56 yards and one touchdown while Rex Burkhead has 13 carries for 34 yards.
The Patriots defense has four interceptions in two games, including a Devin McCourty pick-six against Seattle. New England has three sacks and six TFLs on the season, but the secondary struggled against Seattle, allowing five passing touchdowns and a 75% completion rate.
Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots Betting Lines
Raiders spread: +6.5 (-110)
Raiders money line: +220
Patriots spread: -6.5 (+100)
Patriots money line: -270
Over/Under: 47 (O -110, U -110)
The Patriots need to prove they can stop a good offense after allowing 35 points against the Seahawks last week. Carr, Jacobs, and Waller can move the ball for Las Vegas, while Newton and Edelman should be up to the task for the Patriots.
FREE PICK: Patriots -6.5 at home, Over 47 points (-110).
