Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller (83) is stopped by a group of New Orleans Saints” defenders in the first half of the Raiders’ first home game at Allegiant Stadium Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020 | 3:16 p.m.
The Raiders look to start a season 3-0 for the first time since 2002. Coincidentally, that was also the last time they beat Patriots as a midseason 27-20 victory was hailed as vengeance for the infamous Tuck Rule game that had taken place 10 months earlier. Many label the latter game in the divisional round of the 2001-2002 AFC playoffs, and specifically then 24-year-old quarterback Tom Brady’s controversial overturned fumble call, as the birth of the Patriots’ dynasty. Brady is gone now with fellow former MVP Cam Newton so far having emerged as a worthy successor. Through two weeks, Newton has accounted for 674 yards of offense and four touchdowns. Las Vegas may just be happy to see someone other than Brady, though. The 2002 regular season was the only time the Raiders have beaten the Patriots in the last 25 years as they’ve since lost five straight in the series.
WEEK 3
• Who: Raiders at Patriots
• When: 10 a.m.
• Where: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
• Media: KLAS-TV, Channel 8; ESPN 1100 Radio
• Betting line: Patriots -5.5; over/under 47.5 points
Favorable matchup: Josh Jacobs vs. New England’s defensive front
Because of a spate of free agent departures and season opt-outs, New England’s defensive front seven stands as the most unproven part of its team. The Patriots haven’t played poorly against the run through two games, allowing a slightly below average 4.2 yards per rush attempt, but they also haven’t faced anyone like Jacobs. The second year running back out of Alabama is immune to arm tackles and will run right through New England’s young linebacker corps if they don’t make solid contact and finish. Las Vegas is making it no secret that Jacobs is the focal point of its offense as he’s tied for league lead with 59 touches through two weeks. The Raiders are also making sure their “bell cow,” as a couple teammates have called Jacobs, is fresh for Sunday as he sat out the first two practices of the week to rest.
Problematic matchup: Julian Edelman vs. Las Vegas’ defensive backfield
Edelman will forever be remembered as one of Brady’s favorite targets, but the 34-year-old veteran is finding a second life with Newton throwing to him. Edelman sits third in the league with 236 receiving yards after a pair of games with Newton. The 5-foot-10, 198-pound Edelman is the type of slot receiver that has given the Raiders fits the past couple years, but he’s looked like more than that in the Patriots’ revamped Newton-centric offense. Edelman’s 18.2 yards per reception speaks to how much more often he’s running deep routes. He’s helped Newton rank second in the league in amassing a 64% accurate passing rate on downfield throws, according to Pro Football Focus. Edelman will be a challenge for Trayvon Mullen and Damon Arnette, the Raiders’ pair of young starting cornerbacks, but the good news for Las Vegas is that New England is otherwise thin when it comes to receiving options.
THEY SAID IT
• “Thanks for bringing that up. He did fumble that damn ball.” -Coach Jon Gruden when asked to reflect on the infamous Tuck Rule game
• “It’s going to be like Christmas soon when they’re all together. The cool thing for me is I’m very happy of what they’re doing day in and day out and what we’ve accomplished so far.”-Offensive line coach Tom Cable on mounting offensive-line injuries
• “We ain’t letting that ink dry yet…We all understand that each day, each second we’re a part of this Las Vegas Raiders organization, we’re writing history. The pen is in our hand right now.” -Cornerback Damon Arnette
• “Nelson Agholor said we needed a group celebration, so I started brainstorming and was like, ‘What if we did a positive spin-off on what’s going on with COVID and everything?’” -Wide receiver Zay Jones on his viral hand-sanitizer touchdown celebration
Gamebreaker: Zay Jones
Raiders top receiver Henry Ruggs III twisted his knee in the first half of the season opener, and though he’s continued to play, he hasn’t been the same since. Coach Jon Gruden admitted this week that Ruggs was probably not 100%,and on Friday he was ruled out for today’s game. That could mean more opportunity for his backup, Jones, who consistently draws rave reviews from teammates. Jones saw his number of snaps double from week 1 to week 2, and though he had only one catch, it was a memorable one. Jones made a tough reception in front of the end zone pylon on a route that required precision timing from both himself and quarterback Derek Carr, a rhythm they worked on together multiple times a week during the offseason. Jones is no guarantee to be a factor, but has more big-play ability than might be apparent from the outside looking in.
Big number: 24
Number of targets Darren Waller has tallied through the first two games, tying an NFL record for tight ends, according to Pro Football Reference. The only other tight end to get targeted 24 times in the first two games was the Baltimore Ravens’ Dennis Pitta in 2010, and he only ended up catching 13 of the passes. Waller has 18 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. Now comes the real test, as Patriots coach Bill Belichick has a reputation for identifying an opposing offense’s biggest strength and then taking it away. There’s a lot of speculation that his scheming will center on Waller this week, especially after the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach gave an uncharacteristically long answer praising Waller’s ability on a conference call.
Best Bet: Josh Jacobs over 70.5 rushing yards
Las Vegas has called running plays on 48.18 percent of its snaps, which rates seventh in the league. The high ranking comes despite their game states not being particularly conducive to rushing offense the first two weeks as they had to come back from deficits in a pair of shootouts. The game at New England should be less frenetic with both teams in the bottom third of the league in offensive pace. More importantly, Las Vegas should be able to run on New England. Jacobs wants to sub out of games less, and the coaching staff is happy to oblige. After falling just short in the Raiders’ first two games, the stage is set for Jacobs to record his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.
