Tom Brady’s Raiders Come To Gilette

By Steve Atkinson 

Tom Brady’s Raiders are coming to Gillette on Sunday. Drake Maye will be missing more offensive help from the Patriots at receiver, with Mack Hollins now out for the game. Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis are also out. Kirk Cousins, who has played well, will not have to deal with the Patriots cornerbacks on Sunday. But can Drake Maye make the talent around him better, like he did in Buffalo? Romeo Dobbs had a better game in Buffalo, and Efton Chism finally got his chance, and he’ll probably get more on Sunday against the Raiders.

The Patriots receivers on Sunday will be Romeo Dobbs, Demario Douglas, Efton Chism, and Kyle Williams. Mack Hollins is on IR, so another breakout game for Dobbs needs to happen, or Efton Chism needs to have a breakout game this week to prove he’s not just a practice squad player who made a lucky catch.

Chism has worked hard and done well; he’s earned his spot on the roster. I’ve seen him make those catches in training camp before the Buffalo game; it wasn’t the first time. But the Raiders just went toe to toe with the Chiefs and almost won. Can Kirk Cousins carve up a banged-up Patriots defense, or can Drake Maye have a game like last week in Buffalo where he was confident in what he was seeing?

Here’s Mike Vrabel’s thoughts on the Raiders:

“Well, I think that they certainly understand how not to beat themselves. The defense is very opportunistic. They hunt the football and they forced 10 fumbles, which is very impressive as a team. They’re disruptive and do a lot defensively, which says a lot to not only their scheme and the coaches, but the players for being able to handle as much as they do. The multiplicity on first and second down, the looks that they give you on third down – it’s a great challenge. The offense really stays committed to what they want to do, which is run the football and find their playmakers. They have a great group of big skill players, and I think Kirk [Cousins] has done a great job of understanding when to throw the ball, when to keep the ball down the field, and when to get it to guys who are uncovered underneath.”

If Drake Maye doesn’t turn the ball over they should be able to win the game. Kirk Cousins isn’t that good enough that the defense can’t stop the Raider offense but the Patriots have a lot of injuries. It could be like the Steelers game where the defense makes a play to seal the game for the win.