The Patriots bounced back after their shocking defeat to division frontrunners, the Buffalo Bills, by beating a team that had the potential to level the Patriots record at 2-2. It took a great deal of concentration on the Patriots part not to slip-up against the up-and-coming Oakland side that are threatening to be around for a long time this season.
The Patriots scored a touchdown in every quarter (7, 7, 10, 7) showing great composure, consistency and clock management and held the Raiders to one trip to the end zone and three field goals (3, 7, 3, 6).
Not taking the foot off the pedal is one of the marks of champions. Never going to sleep against any opposition, dangerous or not, is an essential component to postseason success. Every team in the NFL is capable of pulling the rug from under your feet if you stand still too long, especially a team as loaded as Oakland. What saved the Patriots’ porous pass defence here was Oakland’s propensity to run the football and Jason Campbell’s inability to make tight throws into coverage. The Raiders’ receivers are burners – freak athletes with immense speed but not the best route running skills. By stuffing the line to prevent the run and playing a consertive mixture of zone and man-to-man, the Patriots effectively neutralised Oakland’s best assets.
Brady was back on form and protected the football well after his 4 interception horror-show against the Bills in Week 3. He threw two touchdowns and no interceptions as opposed to Campbell who was responsible for the Raiders’ lone touchdown but also for two damaging interceptions.
Both teams should make it to the playoffs - the Raiders as division champs and the Patriots as either winners of the AFC East or the top Wild Card. Should they slip to fifth seed, it seems plausible to suggest they could get the Raiders in the divisional round away in California.
And that will suit the Brady Bunch just fine.
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