Breven Honda
The final game of the preseason between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New England Patriots this summer was surprisingly an appetizer for their meeting almost four months later on Sunday.
Now, with the game actually counting, we will get to see head coach Josh McDaniels and other former Patriots staff and players go up against their former team. As much as that is the narrative of their Week 15 clash, these two teams are trying to remain in the hunt for an all-important AFC playoff spot.
The Las Vegas Raiders (5-8) enter the game off losing a one-point game on “Thursday Night Football” last week. While the New England Patriots (7-6) are coming off a 27-13 victory on Monday night down south in Arizona.
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Ahead of their matchup on Sunday, we offer up three bold predictions for the Las Vegas Raiders game against the Patriots in Week 15.
Las Vegas Raiders will continue dominance in trench warfare
Over the last four games, the Raiders have been winning in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, Las Vegas has not allowed a team to rush for more than 100 yards. On the flip side, the Raiders offensive line has allowed running back Josh Jacobs and his partners to run roughshod in recent weeks. In addition, the O-line has not allowed a sack in each of the last two games. Since Week 9, the O-line has given up just six sacks.
Being able to control the line of scrimmage will be crucial as the Raiders will be going up a New England defense line that has recorded 45.0 sacks this season, the third-best mark in the NFL.
Whether it is EDGE rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones on defense or Andre James and Kolton Miller on the O-line, the Raiders can deliver to keep the Patriots at bay and protect quarterback Derek Carr from going down.
Expect a lot of pressure on Patriots QB Mac Jones and Jacobs to surpass the century mark on Sunday.
Davante Adams goes for 140 yards in monster day
Whether or not tight end Darren Waller or wide receiver Hunter Renfrow make their return to the field on Sunday, the Raiders learned from last week that they have to get the ball to wide receiver Davante Adams, who needs 53 receiving yards to eclipse 1,300 on the season.
Although the Patriots are one of six teams with at least 13 interceptions on the season, Carr and the coaches have to strategically figure out how to get it into No. 17’s hands. Only catching the ball three times on seven targets last week was not enough for the offense to get down the field.
Before their game against the Los Angeles Rams, Adams recorded at least 11 targets in five straight games. During the time Waller and Renfrow have been sidelined, getting the ball to Adams has been Carr’s go-to. Especially on third down and the 29-year-old showed why he is a two-time All-Pro receiver.
Look for Adams to find the soft spots in the Patriots’ defense for Carr to hook it up multiple times on Sunday and rack up 140 yards through the air.
Josh Jacobs makes some history in Week 15
If the Raiders are not going to throw the ball to Adams, then Carr is going to be handing it off to running back Josh Jacobs. Jacobs continues to grind out yards even after being touched as he is the league’s leading rusher.
Jacobs has continued to power through all the obstacles, both from the opposition and from within, to have the success that he is having in 2022, and boy has he been good. Jacobs, who has 1,402 yards on the season, has had to endure multiple injuries to his calf, quad, and hand, which have come more in the last few weeks.
However, that has not stopped the 24-year-old from being on the field for as many snaps as he can. Jacobs, who is one of four players with at least 11 rushing touchdowns, is trying to become the fifth player in the last 10 years to record 1,500 rushing yards and double-digit rushing scores in a season, and he only needs 98 yards on the ground to achieve that goal.
Over the last four games, Jacobs has recorded close to 600 rushing yards, nearly 150 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. His production should continue on Sunday, especially with the way the blocking has helped him to get out in space.
