The Patriots didn’t just answer the bell against the Raiders in Week 5 - they came out swinging and kept landing punches.
Coming off a needed win in Buffalo, New England had a chance to stack another strong performance against a 3-1 Raiders team and open at 2-0 at home for the first time since the 2020 season. They did more than that. From the opening series, the Patriots looked locked in, with the defense opening by forcing a three-and-out and Drake Maye rolling to his second 300-plus-yard passing game as a pro.
That kind of start set the tone for a win that should leave the Patriots feeling pretty good about where they are headed as they move into another divisional matchup with the Jets.
The game, though, had plenty of noise around it. The officials were impossible to ignore early, and the flag count piled up fast.
In the first quarter alone, both teams were hit with more than 100 yards in penalties, and the whistles kept coming after that. It was one of those flag-heavy games where the refs seemed determined to stay in the spotlight.
There was also an injury toll that kept growing for New England. Will Campbell grabbed at his right knee - the same one he injured last season - and TreVeyon Henderson appeared to hurt his ankle. Both were headed to the locker room in the second quarter and were officially ruled out midway through the third.
That injury situation only made the Patriots’ defensive effort more impressive. Even with key players sidelined, they kept a Raiders offense that had averaged 28 points through its first four games to just 17.
For a unit carrying some real question marks entering the season, the pass rush has kept answering them. Elijah Ponder, in particular, keeps making himself impossible to ignore.
He has now recorded at least a half-sack in four straight games, and against Las Vegas he finished with 2 sacks, including a strip sack.
Another issue popped up in the secondary. Charles Woods, starting with Carlton Davis and Christian Gonzalez out, appeared to aggravate the shoulder that had already limited him in practice all week. If he can’t practice or play next week, the Patriots could be down five cornerbacks against the Jets, which isn’t ideal.
Maye, meanwhile, looked every bit like the quarterback New England saw earlier this season. Last week’s game in Buffalo clearly mattered, because he looked back to his 2025 self against the Raiders. If there were any lingering concerns about his shoulder, he worked hard to erase them with throws downfield, including a 49-yard strike to Kyle Williams.
The Patriots also had to lean on a fresh face up front. Caleb Lomu, the team’s first-round pick this year and an immediate red-shirt rookie, had spent the first five weeks mostly coming onto the field as an extra lineman.
That changed before halftime when he replaced Campbell. Since he played left tackle in college, he looked more comfortable there than on the right side and held his own in his NFL debut.
By the end, the Raiders were so battered that Fernando Mendoza, the first-overall pick in this year’s draft, entered with 6:04 left for his NFL debut. It came in the stadium of the quarterback he grew up idolizing.
In Other News...
Patriots Offense Just Put More Pressure On Drake Maye
The Patriots offense took another hit heading into a pivotal stretch, with New England adjusting its lineup as it prepares for a Week 5 meeting with the Raiders. Sitting at 2-2, the team is trying to stabilize a unit that has already been forced to adapt early in the season, and the timing matters with another game against the Bears coming up on Oct. 22.
Reggie Gilliam and Mack Hollins are both out of the picture for now, which narrows the options around Drake Maye and puts more on his plate in a matchup where the offense could use a clean, organized showing. For a Patriots team still searching for rhythm, the next couple of weeks will say plenty about how well it can absorb roster changes without losing ground. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Need An Unlikely Answer To A Growing Offensive Concern
Mack Hollins has become a growing concern for the Patriots this week after missing consecutive practices with a calf injury, putting his status for Sunday against the Raiders in doubt. With A.J. Brown still on injured reserve, New Englands margin for error at receiver is getting thinner, and the team may need to lean harder on whatever options are available to keep the passing game functional.
One of those options could be Eli Raridon, who took a season-high 44 snaps last week and has been productive in limited chances. He is healthy for the upcoming game after working through a thigh issue earlier, and he even lined up wide on five of his 23 pass snaps against Buffalo, a hint that the Patriots could ask him to stretch beyond his usual role if Hollins is unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Secondary Suddenly Faces A Depth Test They Couldn't Avoid
The Patriots secondary is heading into Week 5 with plenty of uncertainty, and Charles Woods is part of the reason there is at least a little relief on the injury front. Woods had been listed questionable with a shoulder issue, but he has been cleared to play, giving New England one more body to work with as it prepares for the Raiders.
Even with that bit of good news, the picture remains thin. New England ruled out four cornerbacks and will be without Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, along with backups Channing Canada and Karon Prunty, leaving the defense to patch together a depth chart against a Las Vegas group that wont have receiver Jalen Nailor but does have Ashton Jeanty available. [Read more 🡒]