The Oakland Raiders will come off their bye and start the final seven games of the season with an international game against the New England Patriots at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on November 19 at 1:25 p.m. PT.
Here is the Game Preview, presented by 95.7 The GAME.
THE SETTING
Date: Sunday, November 19, 2017Kickoff: 1:25 p.m. PTSite: Estadio Azteca (1966)Capacity/Surface: 77,000/Natural GrassRegular Season: Patriots lead, 16-14-1
Postseason: Patriots lead, 2-1
Sunday's trip to Mexico marks the second straight year the team has traveled to Mexico for a game, having beaten the Houston Texans in 2016. It it the Raiders' third regular season game outside of the United States, as they also traveled to London in 2014 to play the Miami Dolphins. This will be the Silver and Black's third game of any kind at Estadio Azteca, as the team also played a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2001 at the venue.
Before their bye week, the Raiders last saw action on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 against the Dolphins, winning by a final of 27-24. QB Derek Carr led the offense with 300 passing yards on 21-of-30 passing with one touchdown and one interception for quarterback rating of 99.3. RB Marshawn Lynch returned and provided a strong presence in the running game for the Silver and Black, rushing for two touchdowns on the night and adding 57 yards on 14 carries. TE Jared Cook led all receivers, hauling in eight catches for 126 yards, a season high. WR Johnny Holton made the game's biggest play, recording a 44-yard touchdown in the first half. Holton has now caught two passes on the year, both touchdowns (44 and 64 yards). K Giorgio Tavecchio played a key role in the three-point victory, as he connected on both his field goal attempts, including a career-long 53-yarder as the first half expired. On defense, LB NaVorro Bowman led the team in tackles for the third straight game, tallying 10 on the evening. LB Bruce Irvin had an impactful game, posting four tackles, 0.5 sacks and one forced fumble that was recovered by CB TJ Carrie.
Following Sunday's game, the Raiders will return home to host a game in Oakland for the first time in over a month, as they play the Denver Broncos. The Patriots will host the Dolphins in Week 12.
INTERNATIONAL RAIDERS
This Sunday, the Raiders will return to Mexico City for the second straight season to play the defending Super Bowl Champions, the New England Patriots. Last year, the Raiders and Houston Texans played on Monday Night Football in Mexico, while this year's contest will be a 1:25 p.m. PT start on Sunday. The game will mark the Silver and Black's third international game in four years and seventh overall in the team's history.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION
CBS
Play-by-play: Jim Nantz
Color Analyst: Tony Romo
Sideline: Tracy Wolfson
RADIO
Flagship: 95.7 The GAME
Play-by-play: Greg Papa
Color Analyst: Tom Flores
Sideline: Lincoln Kennedy
Spanish Radio
Spanish Flagship: KIQI 1010
Play-by-play: Fernando Arias
Color Analyst: Ambrosio Rico
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PATRIOTS SNAPSHOT
Overview: The New England Patriots are led by Head Coach Bill Belichick, now in his 18th season at the helm of the Patriots. In 2016, Belichick won his fifth Super Bowl as a head coach, tied for the most Super Bowl wins by a head coach, while his 14 division titles also mark the most by a head coach in NFL history. The reigning Super Bowl Champions enter Week 11 at the top of their division with a 7-2 record. The Patriots defeated the Broncos in dominant fashion on Sunday Night Football last week, 41-16. The win gives them a five-game win streak heading into their matchup against the Raiders in Mexico City and a 12-game win streak on the road, dating back to Jan. 3, 2016.
Offense: QB Tom Brady is in his 18th season in the NFL, the most seasons with one team by an NFL quarterback. Brady, who became the first player in NFL history to win four Super Bowl MVP awards last season, leads the league in completions (231), attempts (343) and passing yards (2,807). He also ranks second with 19 touchdowns and a passer rating of 108.3. In his eighth season, TE Rob Gronkowski continues to be a top target for Brady with a team-high five touchdowns and 38 receptions for 583 yards. WR Brandin Cooks leads the team with 637 receiving yards, adding three touchdowns. In his first season with New England, RB Mike Gillislee leads the team with 96 carries for 355 yards with four touchdowns.
Defense: Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia is in his sixth season in charge of the Patriots defense. New England's defense is led by DB Devin McCourty who has recorded 58 tackles (50 solo). McCourty has also recorded one of the team's seven interceptions and CB Malcolm Butler leads the team with two. DL Trey Flowers and LB Kyle Van Noy lead the team with 3.5 sacks each, with Van Noy ranking second in tackles with 55 (46).
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Pro Connections
• Raiders special teams coordinator Brad Seely served in the same capacity for the Patriots from 1998-2008. Seely's unit was pivotal in the Patriots' three Super Bowl Championships, leading the NFL in kickoff return average (23.5 avg.), finishing fourth in field goal percentage (83.4%) and ranking eighth in punt return average (9.9 avg.) during his stay in New England.
• Raiders TE Lee Smith was originally drafted by the Patriots in fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and spent all of training camp with the team before being waived.
• Raiders LS Jon Condo was signed by the Patriots during the 2006 offseason where he would spend a portion of training camp.
• Raiders Director - Player Personnel Joey Clinkscales and Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick worked together with the New York Jets for three years (1997-99). Clinkscales served in the scouting department while Belichick was the assistant head coach/secondary coach.
• Raiders offensive coordinator Todd Downing (quarterbacks coach) and Raiders tight ends coach Bobby Johnson (tight ends and assistant offensive line) spent time with Patriots OL LaAdrian Waddle in Detroit as members of the Lions. Downing spent one season with Waddle in 2013, while Johnson was a member of the coaching staff in 2014 as well, serving as an assistant offensive line coach for Waddle.
College Connections
• Raiders WR Seth Roberts played alongside Patriots CB Malcolm Butler for two seasons at West Alabama in 2012-13. Both players went undrafted in 2014 and have been on the same respective team since.
• Raiders DT Justin Ellis played three seasons at Louisiana Tech with Patriots P Ryan Allen from 2010-12. Allen was the first punter in college football history to win the prestigious Ray Guy Award in backto-back seasons (2011-12).
• Raiders T Marshall Newhouse played three seasons (2008-10) together on the same offensive line at TCU as Patriots OL Marcus Cannon.
• Raiders G/C Jon Feliciano and TE Clive Walford played four seasons with Patriots WR Phillip Dorsett from 2011-14 at Miami, before both players were drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. Feliciano was taken in the fourth round by the Raiders, while Dorsett was taken in the first round by the Colts.
• Patriots CB Johnson Bademosi played four years at Stanford, appearing in 48 games and totaling 122 tackles.
• Patriots OL Cameron Fleming was drafted by the team in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Stanford. Fleming started all 39 games appeared in for the Cardinals.
Hometown Connections
• Patriots QB Tom Brady was born and raised in nearby San Mateo, Calif., and played his prep football at Junipero Serra High.
• Raiders WR Cordarrelle Patterson and Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore are both natives of Rock Hill, S.C. Gilmore attended South Pointe High School, while Patterson went to Northwestern High School, both of which were are in the same conference.
• Raiders 2017 second-round pick S Obi Melifonwu is a native of South Grafton, Mass., where he attended Grafton High School and was named to the ESPN Boston All-State team.
• Patriots DB Jordan Richards is a native of Sacramento, Calif., where he went on to play his college football at Stanford and was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
