6 rings: 3 matchups to watch in patriots vs. raiders
The Patriots are in a rough spot at 1-4. They’ve lost two games in a row, by a combined score of 72-3, and are scratching and clawing away from being the worst team in football.
New England plays the Raiders this weekend, a team they’re very familiar with for a variety of reasons. One being their head coach Josh McDaniels, who spent 18 seasons with the Patriots as an assistant, quarterbacks coach, and most notably as their offensive coordinator.
Las Vegas also rosters five former Patriots in Jimmy Garoppolo, Jakobi Meyers, Brandon Bolden, Jakob Johnson, and Justin Herron.
Speaking of players in this game, here are 10 players to watch on Sunday:
10 - WR Kayshon Boutte, Patriots
Buried in the Patriots 34-0 loss to the Saints last Sunday was additional loss of two wide receivers. Both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas left the game with concussions and have yet to practice this week. Over the last two years, 0 players in New England have played the following week after a concussion diagnosis. This speaks to a) the vigorous protocol they have to clear and b) the lack of depth they’ll have in Las Vegas.
Onto the scene may very well come Kayshon Boutte, one of two wide receivers the Patriots selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The former LSU Tiger has been active in just one game this season, Week 1 against the Eagles, and was targeted four times but failed to record a reception.
Boutte had a promising summer and preseason after looking like a relative roster longshot at one point during the spring. He’ll now have a chance to prove why he shouldn’t he a healthy scratch week after week moving forward.
9 - RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders
While he hasn’t had the start to 2023 that he hoped for Josh Jacobs is a top-tier, dynamic running back that can pop for the Raiders offense at any moment.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide runner led the NFL in rushing yards last season with 1,653, was a first-team All-Pro, and warranted himself a $12 million contract this summer after a brief holdout.
As mentioned above underperforming expectations on the ground so far this season, Jacobs has been a monster in Vegas’ passing game hauling in 23 catches for 123 yards as the NFL’s top pass-catching back. He’’ll be one of many on New England’s radar on Sunday.
8 - LB Robert Spillane, Raiders
While not necessarily their best player on that side of the football, linebacker Robert Spillane is, quite literally, at the center of the Raiders' defensive unit.
Last week against the Packers, the 27 year old backer had two interceptions off Packers quarterback Jordan Love and also second on the team with nine tackles. On the season, he leads Las Vegas in tackles with 22.
He doesn’t jump off the page, which makes him a lethal defender for coordinator Patrick Graham to use and someone the Patriots have to keep a keen eye on.
7 - OL Riley Reiff, Patriots
The Patriots got a boost last week with the addition of offensive lineman Riley Reiff to the active roster. An offseason acquisition to the tune of a one-year, $5 million contract, the former Lion, Viking, and Bear injured his knee during the preseason and was placed on injured resreve to start the campagn, missing the team’s first four games.
In his first contest back last week, Reiff came in as a reserve guard taking reps on both sides of the line for both an under-performing Atonio Mafi and an injured Mike Onwenu.
The 34-year-old journeyman is by no means a world beater up front, but what he does, at least, give the Patriots is potential consistency. New England’s plan in training camp was to trot out a starting unit of Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, and Riley Reiff.
They can do that on Sunday if they so choose.
6 - TE Mike Gesicki, Patriots and 5 - S Tre’von Moehrig, Raiders
As a whole, the Patriots’ pass catchers are the worst unit in the NFL against man coverage this season. They rank 31st in yards per attempt (3.8), 32nd in passer rating (49.6), and 32nd in EPA/attempt (-0.66).
One reason tight end Mike Gesicki was brought to New England this offseason was to be a man beater. A mismatch against opposing defensive backs. But with just 116 yards on 12 catches and zero touchdowns this season, he hasn’t exactly done that. What he has done, however, is pulled his weight against coverage gaining 3.6 yards of separation per route according to NFL NextGen Stats. Mac Jones just needs to hit him.
Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig will likely be one of the DBs tasked with covering Gesicki on Sunday. Like the Patriots on offense, Moehrig’s unit on defense is also one of the worst against man coverage. They rank 32nd in yards per attempt (9.3), 27th in passer rating (114.5) and 31st in EPA/attempt (+0.34). The Vegas safety, however, is sporting a respectable 73.8 PFF grade this season.
This battle between two needles in a haystack will be worth keeping an eye on.
4 - DE Maxx Crosby, Raiders
Outside of Cowboys DE Micah Parsons, Maxx Crosby might be the most lethal defender the Patriots will face this season. A relentless defensive end, Crosby leads the NFL in tackle for loss in 2023 with 8 and is also pacing the Raiders with 5 sacks.
This week, Bill Belichick called Crosby a “very, very disruptive guy” on Vegas’ defense and Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott said the unit “all starts with #98”.
Both of which may be understatements. Crosby is a monster. Just watch.
3 - QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders and 2 - QB Mac Jones, Patriots
Sunday’s battle at signal caller in Las Vegas is is not only between a former and a current Patriots quarterback, but it’s also between two players who are seemingly hanging onto their position by a thread.
Jimmy Garoppolo, a player who normally is a product of his environment and a ‘winner’ with the right pieces around him, has been turnover-happy this season with 7 interceptions to just 6 touchdown passes. While he is completing almost 70% of his passes, the Raiders’ offense has yet to score 20 points this season and doesn’t look anywhere close to equipped to fight in a shootout if required.
As for Mac Jones, he started the year hot despite two losses but both he and the offense as a whole have been a trainwreck since. Jones is completing 63% of his passes and has 5 TD with six interceptions as well as a fumble lost. He hasn’t taken care of the football and if he continues down this road, there’s a real chance we see Bailey Zappe soon… or potentially even Will Grier.
1 - WR Jakobi Meyers, Raiders
The talk of the town(s), both Foxborough and Las Vegas, this week is Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
By this point, we all know the story. Facepalmed out of Foxborough, signs in Sin City, ‘replaced’ by JuJu Smith-Schuster, and then brutally outperforms him.
“I like to play ball, man, whoever it is,” Meyers said this week when asked about facing off against his former team. “I'm happy to see my guys who come here, but you line me up and I'm going out there to play.”
Play is exactly what he’s done in 2023. The former undrafted pass catcher out of North Carolina State, is on a per-game pace to put up 106 catches for 1,165 yards and 13 touchdowns this season for Vegas, a statline that would be by far the best of his career.
Given that New England essentially gave up on him, i’m very much looking forward to seeing what Meyers can do, and what McDaniels dials up for him against the Patriots’ secondary.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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