The New England Patriots head into Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders coming off their best offensive showing of the season, and the timing could matter even more with injuries piling up on both sides of the ball.
Against the Buffalo Bills last week, New England scored a season-high 29 points, and Drake Maye was rewarded with AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. The question now is whether that momentum travels home with them, or whether a battered roster makes the Raiders game a tougher climb than the Patriots want.
One of the clearest reasons for optimism is DeMario Douglas. His outing against Buffalo was his best of the year, with a season-high six catches, 58 yards and the first two touchdowns he has scored since joining New England.
With A.J. Brown and Mack Hollins both on injured reserve and only four wide receivers left on the active roster, the Patriots may need even more from him.
"So, that was one of the cool things, to see him rewarded for the work he's put in and finally getting in the end zone," Maye said on Wednesday regarding Doubs' performance against the Bills. "He keeps on doing things the right way and he's going to keep on making plays for us."
The receiver room is thin enough already, but the cornerback group is in even rougher shape. Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Karon Prunty and Channing Canada have all been ruled out for Sunday, leaving just three Patriots corners expected to play. Isaiah Vildor is one of them, and the timing of his call-up makes the spot even more notable.
Vildor spent the preseason with New England and finished training camp strongly after an uneven start. The Patriots signed him to the active roster from the practice squad on Saturday, and no matter who he draws, he is likely to have a major workload against Las Vegas.
Another player who could see his role grow is Kyle Williams Chism. He is coming off a season-best performance of his own - two receptions, 42 yards and a touchdown - and, like Doubs, he is operating in a receiver group that has been stripped down by injuries.
"I mean, guys continue to take advantage of their opportunities, they get more opportunities," Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said on Monday. "I mean, we've been finding ways to work (Chism) in there previously.
And it's a balance, but he certainly did a lot of things well. I know that he'll continue to do things well for us and continue to know a bunch of different spots."
Chism’s go-ahead touchdown against the Bills turned heads, and his snap count feels likely to keep climbing as the Patriots search for answers on offense.
The biggest defensive test may come on the edge, where New England has to deal with Maxx Crosby. He has only two sacks this season, but he remains top-five in the NFL in pressures and is drawing double teams at the highest rate among edge rushers while still getting to the quarterback.
That makes Vederian Lowe a key figure in the matchup. His season has not been spotless - his 59.4 PFF grade ranks 54th among eligible tackles - but New England’s chances could hinge on how well it handles Crosby up front.
"Maxx will go wherever he wants to go, and he will do whatever he wants to do," Vrabel said on Wednesday. "And it's worked out really, really well.
I have a lot of respect for Maxx Crosby as a person and also as a player. So, we'll have to know where he is on every single play.
It's been impressive."
Christian Elliss Spillane is another player New England may lean on heavily. As the Patriots’ captain, he could be asked to do a little of everything, especially with the secondary so depleted that extra coverage help may be needed.
The run defense will matter too. Las Vegas is top-five in the league in rush attempts per game, even while averaging the fewest yards per attempt. If Spillane and the Patriots can slow that part of the Raiders’ offense, it could ease the burden on a pass defense that is already stretched thin.
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For a Raiders defense trying to steady itself before Buffalo, Butlers voice matters. He is signed through 2027 and logged a career-high number of defensive snaps in 2024, making him one of the experienced pieces expected to help drive the next round of adjustments. The challenge now is not just identifying the mistakes, but making sure the response comes quickly enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]