The New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders will be facing off in Mexico City for a great Sunday matchup in which both teams will have to adjust to the high altitude of this game. The Pats will look to improve on their 7-2 record, while the Raiders need a win as they are 4-5. The Patriots need to keep pace with the Steelers and every game is a must-win for the Oakland Raiders at this point, this game in Mexico City is shaping up to be a great matchup with a lot of importance.
Which team will emerge with the win?
Game Info:
When: 4:25 p.m. EST
Where: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
TV: CBS
Spread: Patriots (-7)
O/U: 54.5
What They're Saying About The New England Patriots:
Pats Pride Swells For Mexico City Matchup (Boston Herald)
Today against the Patriots in Mexico, consider the Raiders the Desperados (Boston Herald)
Players close road trip in Mexico with stretch drive on tap (Boston Herald)
What They're Saying About The Oakland Raiders:
Derek Carr looks to shine in second career game versus Patriots (Fansided)
Five Things That Must Happen Against New England (Fansided)
Raiders counting heavily on lightning rod CB against Patriots (CSN Bay Area)
Key To The Game: Create Mismatches and Limit Turnovers
For the Patriots the main keys to this game are to keep Tom Brady upright and take advantage of your mismatches. The Patriots running backs have been a handful for opposing defenses because you never know who they're going to utilize. New England also needs to limit big plays and not get eaten alive by Oakland tight end Jared Cook, who leads the Raiders in receptions with 39.
As for the Raiders, they are coming off a bye and have had an extra week to gameplan. They know they need to treat every game like a playoff game given their record at this point in the season, but luckily, there will be more opportunities for them if they lose. Oakland's only chance in this game is to get pressure on Brady, which is something they have struggled with this season.
Prediction: Patriots win 34-17
The Patriots have gone five straight games without allowing more than 17 points, showing how much better their defense has been playing. That, combined with the Patriots offense, means they're in full steam ahead mode. This Patriots team will be too much to handle for the Raiders in Mexico City.
Mitchell Renz is the Senior Writer & On-Air Host at Chat Sports check out his article archive and live videos on Chat Sports Facebook page. Please follow him on Twitter @MitchellRenz365.
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