Last Week: Rams 17, Raiders 16
The Raiders ruined their three-game win streak by getting back to their old ways and crumbling late to lose in an inexcusable fashion. They blew their fourth double-digit lead of the season at SoFi Stadium in LA, and this one was probably the worst of all. Las Vegas had a 16-3 lead midway through the fourth quarter before allowing Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield, who joined the team two days earlier via waiver claim after being cut by the Carolina Panthers, to guide back-to-back touchdown drives. Both were heavily assisted by penalties; it appeared the Raiders had the Rams stopped multiple times before drawing flags. The game-winning score came with 10 seconds left, when Mayfield connected with Van Jefferson for a 23-yard touchdown to give the Rams their first lead of the game.
This Week: Patriots (6-6) at Raiders (5-8)
When: Sunday, December 18, 1:05 p.m.
Where: Allegiant Stadium
TV & Radio: FOX 5 & 920 AM/92.3 FM
Betting line: Pick’em, over/under 44.5
Matchup: Raiders first-year coach Josh McDaniels and a handful of players and staff members face off against their former club for the first time in the regular season. These teams met in the preseason at Allegiant Stadium, with the Raiders winning 23-6, and for a pair of joint practices where Las Vegas appeared to get the best of the full-team scrimmage portions. But the Raiders haven’t delivered on the promise they showed in training camp through the preseason, largely because McDaniels has seemed overmatched and overly conservative in his first head-coaching job in more than a decade. McDaniels’ mentor, Bill Belichick, should give the Patriots a distinct advantage on the sideline. The visitors will also have a big edge on defense, where they field one of the NFL’s top-ranked units.
Raider to Watch: Wide receiver Davante Adams
Las Vegas only threw to Adams seven times in the loss to LA, with the All-Pro receiver catching three of those attempts for 71 yards. He rushed out of the Raiders’ locker room before speaking to reporters, similar to how he’s responded angrily after other games this season when McDaniels has inexplicably minimized him in the game plan. In the past, the Raiders have usually made up for it in the next game by throwing to Adams early and often. It would certainly seem to be in their best interest; Adams sits near the top of the league with 1,247 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. The Patriots have one of the league’s best pass defenses, and it typically takes a special receiver like Adams to crack it.
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