This Week
The New England Patriots visit the Oakland Raiders at Overstock.com Coliseum on Sunday at 4:15 p.m.
The Patriots (2-1) are 1-1 on the road, 1-0 against the AFC West and 2-1 in the conference. The Raiders (2-1) are 1-0 at home, 1-1 vs. the AFC East and 2-1 against the conference.
The Line/Prediction
As of Thursday the line on the game from Yahoo! Sports has the Patriots at minus 4. The over/under is 55.
My Prediction is Patriots 41, Raiders, 30. Give the points (Patriots) and take the over. I am 2-1 against the spread and 3 of 3 on calling the over/under in 2011.
Tickets
The Raiders are reporting the game as a sellout.
Tickets to the game, if available, can be purchased through Ticketmaster. You can check the availability here.
Getting to the Game
If you’re lucky enough to be rollin’ to the game with all the gangsta’s in Oakland make sure you check out the links.
Here is the up to date weather forecast from the Weather Channel for Oakland CA.
Click for all the game day information including stadium directions, parking and stadium information, parking map and an Overstock.com Coliseum seating chart.
Tailgating
Here’s a bunch of different tailgating recipes from Tailgating.com. There’s something there for everyone and every type of meal or snack. I’ve tried some of the recipes and they’re very good.
And with tailgating many people enjoy some adult beverages. With that in mind check out Drink Nation for how to make all sorts of great drinks. You can look things up by name, ingredient(s) or theme.
Whether it’s at the game, a bar or a friend’s house moderation is always the key to a great time. Please don’t drink and drive and designate a sober driver. Remember You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television
CBS in televising the game regionally and Kevin Harlan will do play by play while Solomon Wilcotts will provide the game analysis. You can look here for your local affiliate.
See if you’re getting the game courtesy of J.P. Kirby at the506.com.
The DirecTV designation is Channel 716.
Here are all the rules on NFL TV broadcasts including explaining the blackout rules; flex scheduling and commercial breaks.
Radio
The Patriots Radio Network broadcasts the game from flagship station WBZ-FM, 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston. Gil Santos handles the play-by-play, former Patriot Gino Cappelletti does the color and new this year Scott Zolak will man the sidelines. It all starts with Gary Tanguay, Andy Gresh and Zolak with the pregame show at 4 p.m. along the network. The post game starts after the final gun and continues for three hours along the network.
If you are outside the broadcast are of the stations on the Patriots Radio Network you can purchase NFL Field Pass, which allows you to listen to any game live. You can also pick which teams broadcasters you want to listen to.
All NFL Games are also available on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio also carries all the NFL games under a special additional package. They usually only carry the home team feed.
The Patriots radio network call is available on Sirius Channel 86 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 866.
The Raiders Radio Network has Greg Papa calling play by play and former Raiders head coach Tom Flores doing the color via their flagship station KSFO. Their call is available on Sirius Channel 113, XM Channel 229 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 865.
Patriots All Access
Patriots All-Access features behind the scenes looks, interviews and breakdowns with head coach Bill Belichick and in depth features on the team. It’s hosted by Steve Burton of WBZ-TV (Boston) and airs weekly in most New England television markets.
- Boston MA on TV 38 Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
- Providence RI on WNAC Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
- Manchester NH on WMUR Saturday at midnight
- Portland ME on WMTW Sunday at 5 a.m.
- Hartford CT on WCTX Saturday at 5 p.m.
- Springfield MA on WFXQ Saturday at 7 p.m.
- Bangor ME on WVII Sunday at 11 a.m.
You can also watch it anytime on the teams website in the media section.
To continue reading the New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
Last Week
The Patriots lost to the Bills on the road 34-31 as Tom Brady threw 4 INT’s; while the Raiders beat the Jets, 34-24 at home.
History
- The Patriots lead the all-time series 16-15-1 including playoffs dating back to 1960 when both clubs were founding members of the AFL.
- New England is 2-1 against Oakland in the playoffs. The Raiders won 24-21 in Oakland in 1976 while the Patriots won 27-20 in Los Angeles in 1985 and 16-13 in the “Tuck Rule Game” the final Foxboro Stadium game in 2001.
- This is just the 5th regular season meeting between the teams since 1989.
- The two teams last met in 2008 in Oakland with the Patriots winning, 49-26.
Patriots Team Notes
Here is the Patriots roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.
2011 Patriots Schedule/Results
The Patriots overall franchise record is 403-364-9. They have won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) in six appearances. They last appeared in the playoffs in 2010 when they lost at home to the New York Jets in the AFC Divisional Playoff, 28-21. They last appeared in a Super Bowl in 2007 losing to the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. They won the AFC Conference championship that season with playoff wins over Jacksonville and San Diego.
The Patriots are the defending two-time AFC East Champions; they have won the division 8 times since 2000.
The Patriots are dedicating the 2011 season to the memory of Myra Hiatt Kraft, the late wife of owner Robert Kraft. Every Patriots player and coach will honor Myra’s memory by wearing a patch with her initials on it in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local and global community and her influence on the charitable mission of the entire Patriots organization. The patch will be worn on the left chest of every player throughout the season.
Since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994 the Patriots are 3-2 vs. the Raiders.
The Patriots are just 2-6 vs. the Raiders in Oakland including playoffs.
Since 2000 the Patriots have the 2nd best road record in the NFL at 58-32. Only Indianapolis 59-30 has better road record in the same span.
Since 2003 New England is 29-5 in October with a 13-4 mark on the road.
The Patriots have scored 30 or more points in 11 consecutive regular season games.
New England will be wearing pink apparel in support of the NFL’s Breast Cancer Awareness initiatives this month.
The Patriots defense has allowed opponents to convert 43.2% of the time. While the Patriots offense has a 3rd down conversion rate of 54.5%.
The New England defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 6 times in 3 games.
The Patriots are 2nd in the NFL (tied with New Orleans) in points per game with 34.7. While they allow 26.3 points per game good for 27th in the NFL.
New England is now plus 2 in turnover differential, 5th best in the NFL (tied with 4 others). The offense has given up 5 INT and 0 fumbles, while the defense has 5 INT and 2 fumble recoveries.
As of this week the Patriots are 9:2 odds to win the Super Bowl.
Patriots Staff Notes
This is the link to head coach Bill Belichick’s Wednesday press conference on the Raiders.
Bill Belichick is 5-1 vs. Oakland in his career. He is 3-1 against them as the head coach in New England including 1-0 in the playoffs.
Overall in his NFL career Belichick is 164-95 in 16 NFL seasons. He is 128-52 with New England and 36-44 with Cleveland. He is 15-6 in the playoffs, 14-5 as head coach of the Patriots in the post season. When you combine his regular season and post season records he is 179-101.
Belichick’s 179 wins are good for 10th all-time. Bill Parcells is 9th with 183 wins.
He was named NFL Coach of the Year for the 3rd time in 2010.
Patriots Possible Starters
Defense:
- DE: Ellis
- DT: Wilfork
- DE: Carter
- OLB: Spikes
- ILB: Mayo
- OLB: Ninkovich
- LCB: McCourty
- RCB: Arrington
- DB: Bodden
- S: Brown
- S: Barrett
Offense:
- LT: Light
- LG: Mankins
- C: Connolly
- RG: Waters
- RT: Solder
- QB: Brady
- RB: Woodhead
- TE: R. Gronkowski
- WR: Welker
- WR: Branch
- WR: Ochocinco
Patriots Players Notes
This Tom Brady’s 12th NFL season he is 2-1 vs. the Raiders including 1-0 in the playoffs.
Overall Brady is 113-33 as a starting QB and is 14-5 in the playoffs for an overall record of 127-38. Brady is a 6 time Pro Bowl QB; two time NFL MVP and has won 3 Super Bowls while twice being named the games MVP. He is also listed as the 21st Greatest Player in the History of the NFL according to the NFL Network.
In 2010 Brady won his second NFL MVP and he was the first unanimous winner in league history.
Brady is 50-23 on the road in his career in the regular season.
Brady has thrown 11 TD’s and 5 INT’s while being sacked 3 times in three games.
Brady has 272 TD passes in his career he is now 10th all-time. Joe Montana is 9th with 273 and Vinnie Testaverde is 8th with 275.
He has thrown for 1,327 yards in just three games which is a NFL record for most passing yards by any quarterback in any three game stretch of a season.
Last week was Brady’s 6th career 4 INT game the others were in 2006 vs. Indianapolis; 2005 vs. Kansas City, 2004 in Miami; 2003 in Buffalo and 2001 in Denver.
WR Wes Welker now has catches in 82 consecutive games including playoffs, 68 as a Patriot. The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.
Welker set a franchise record with 217 receiving yards on 16 catches last week in Buffalo. The previous record was 214 yards set by Terry Glenn in 1999. The 16 catches ties the team mark set by Troy Brown in 2001.
CB Kyle Arrington now has a team leading 3 INT’s in 2011 after grabbing a pair last week in Buffalo.
TE Rob Gronkowski tied a Patriots team record by grabbing a TD pass in his 5th consecutive game. He shares the mark with Randy Moss, Daniel Graham, Michael Timpson and Jimmy Colclough.
He also had career high 7 catches vs. the Bills.
LB Jerod Mayo leads the team with 25 tackles.
DE Mark Anderson leads the club with 2 sacks; he also has 2 quarterback hits.
WR Matthew Slater and LB Tracy White, who has made special teams his specialty, lead the in special teams tackles with 3 each.
OL Brian Waters stands guard of Tom Brady.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Patriots practice squad LB A.J. Edds to their 53-man roster on Wednesday. DE Alex Silvestro was signed to take his place on the practice squad. He was with the team this summer in training camp.
On the injury front looks like DE Mike Wright (concussion) and TE Aaron Hernandez (MCL) will be out come Sunday, neither has practiced at all, although Hernandez was available to reporters near the beginning of the week which is usually a sign the player is okay.
T Sebastian Vollmer (back) and DT Albert Haynesworth (back) both have missed practice all week they’ll probably be doubtful for Sunday.
S Patrick Chung has been limited in practice after missing last week’s game against Buffalo with a thumb injury. Look for him to listed as questionable for Sunday. Anyone else with injuries has had full participation in practice this week and should be good to go for the Raiders game.
The Patriots have four New England natives on the roster they are: TE Aaron Hernandez (Bristol CT); OL Donald Thomas (New Haven CT); S James Ihedigbo (Northampton MA) and DE Ron Brace (Worcester MA – PUP). They have 8 players who played for a New England school or a Big East Conference member. They are: WR Deion Branch (Louisville); S James Ihedigbo (UMass); C Dan Koppen (Boston College); CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers); NT Vince Wilfork (Miami), OL Donald Thomas (UConn); DE Mike Wright (Cincinnati) and DE Ron Brace (Boston College – PUP).
The Patriots have 7 retired numbers: 20 – Gino Cappelletti, 40 – Mike Haynes, 73 – John Hannah, 78 – Bruce Armstrong, 79 – Jim Lee Hunt and 89 – Bob Dee.
Raiders Team Notes
Here is the Raiders roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.
The Raiders all-time record is 420-344-11 and they are 25-18 in the playoffs with their last playoff appearance coming in 2002 when they lost Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They won the AFC Championship that season by beating the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans in the playoffs. Oakland has won 3 Super Bowls (XI, XV, XVIII) in 5 appearances.
They won the AFL Championship in 1967 and lost to Green Bay in Super Bowl II.
The Raiders have told the league that the playing surface will be re-sodded this week and their will be no dirt infield area as the Athletics are done playing for the year.
The Raiders are 10-6 all-time against New England at home including 1-1 in the playoffs.
Oakland is 11-15 vs. the AFC East since 2001 including playoffs.
Overstock.com Coliseum (aka Oakland-Alameda County/Network Associates/McAfee Coliseum) is the 5th facility the Raiders have called home. The others include Kezar Stadium (1960), Candlestick Park (1960-61), Frank Youell Field (1962-65) and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1982-94).
Overstock.com Coliseum has been the Raiders home twice from 1966-81 and then from 1995 to the present.
Raiders raise expectations but keep their focus on the next challenge.
The fans of Raider Nation, better known as “The Black Hole”, are back at the Coliseum.
The Oakland defense has allowed opponents to convert 42.1% of the time. While the Oakland offense has a 3rd down conversion rate of 38.2%.
The Oakland defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 10 times in 3 games.
The Raiders have the 5th rated scoring offense in the NFL averaging 30.7 points per game. While they allow 27.3 points per game, good for 28th in the NFL.
Oakland is now plus 3 in turnover differential, 4th best in the NFL. The offense has given up 1 INT and 2 fumbles, while the defense has 3 INT and 3 fumble recoveries.
Raiders Staff Notes
See what Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson had to say to the New England media about the match up.
Jackson is in his first year as a head coach and is 2-1.
Jackson replaced the embattled Tom Cable who was fired at the end of the 2010 season and is now on Pete Carroll’s coaching staff in Seattle.
After spending several season’s in the college ranks with Pacific, Cal State-Fullerton, Arizona State, California and USC, Jackson has been a coach in the NFL since 2001 with Washington, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Baltimore and Oakland.
This is his first opportunity to be a head coach in either college or the NFL.
He is the 15th head coach of the Raiders franchise and the 9th since 1995.
Amy Trask is the only woman in her role as CEO of a team in the NFL.
Al Davis has been the coach, general manager or an owner of the Raiders since 1963 with the exception of a four-month period in 1966 when he was the AFL Commissioner. After the merger was announced he purchased 10% ownership of the team in July 1966 and he was placed in charge of football operations.
He has been the principal majority owner of the Raiders since 1972.
In 1992 the Brockton, MA native was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Raiders Players Notes
Jason Campbell is 29-38 as a starting QB. He is in his second season with Oakland and he is 10-6. In five seasons he was 19-32 with the Washington Redskins. Campbell was the Redskins first round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Auburn.
Campbell has thrown 3 TD’s and 1 INT while being sacked twice in three games.
QB Terrelle Pryor who was taken in the third round of the Supplemental Draft in August is appealing his 5-game NFL suspension for his actions in the Ohio State tattoo for memorabilia scandal. He is in the fourth week of his suspension.
RB Darren McFadden leads the NFL in rushing with 392 yards after he scorched the Jets for 171 yards and 2 TD’s last week in Oakland’s win.
McFadden suffered a groin injury in the 4th quarter of the New York game but he reported it not to be serious.
And the Raiders offensive line is coming of age and is a big key in the emergence of McFadden.
Former Patriots DE Richard Seymour has his own sack celebration and he wants to show it off to his old team on Sunday. He wasn’t thrilled with how Belichick handled his departure from Foxboro and you should see a motivated Seymour come Sunday.
Seymour talks about his days in Foxboro and what it will be like playing against the team he grew up with.
Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski is living up to Raider lore after being arrested last year for assaulting a woman.
Oakland’s captains for 2011 are RB Rock Cartwright, P Shane Lechler, Seymour, Campbell and McFadden.
There are 7 players on the Oakland roster from Big East universities and New England based colleges. They are: CB Tyvon Branch (UConn); LB Ricky Brown (Boston College); DT Desmond Bryant (Harvard); RB Michael Bush (Louisville); CB Chris Johnson (Louisville); RB James McCluskey (Boston College – IR) and DB Joe Porter (Rutgers).
The Raiders do not retire numbers, although #00, which was worn by Raiders center Jim Otto, is no longer allowed to be issued as part of the league wide number policy.
Next Week
The Patriots host the New York Jets next Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA. Kick off is at 4:15 p.m. on CBS.
Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem
