Sports
Patriots Get a Big and Balanced Win Against the Raiders
The Patriots traveled to hostile Oakland to play intense football against the Raiders Sunday. The Patriots came away with a big and balanced win.
The Oakland Raiders have always been known as the "bad boys" of the NFL. Don't let recent sub-par years fool you, they still are.
The Patriots defense took center stage early, but for the wrong reason. The defense continued to struggle, allowing Oakland to run and throw up, down and all around them. Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell had success with little or no pressure from the defensive line. Running Back Darren McFadden had equal success.
The already thinned out Patriots defense suffered the biggest blow of the season thus far when defensive captain Jerod Mayo went down halfway through the second quarter with a knee injury.
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The Patriots defense showed subtle signs of life when a late second quarter drive by the Raiders was stalled as Campbell threw an end-zone pic to Patrick Chung, giving Brady and the Patriots a chance to pad their 14-10 lead as the two minute warning approached.
Brady led his team down the field, but a miscue between him and Deion Branch forced a 4th and 10 for the Patriots with only seconds remaining in the half. Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 44 yard field goal to give his team a 17-10 lead into the second half.
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The Raiders had nearly 300 yards of total offense in the first half and devoured the clock, possessing the ball for 19:25, doubling the Patriots time with the ball.
Brady had a serviceable and balanced offensive first half, completing 8 of 17 for 121 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots ground game came to life against Oakland in the first, rushing 13 times for 88 yards and a touchdown by BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
The Patriots had the ball first in the second half and ate some clock of their own, chewing four minutes of time and capped the drive with rookie running back Stevan Ridley knifing his way for a 33 yard touchdown run, his first TD of his career. It gave the Patriots a somewhat comfortable lead, up 24-10 with ten minutes to play in the third.
The balanced offense of New England continued through the end of the third, as the Patriots wound out the clock and stayed in control of the game, up 24-13 at the conclusion of the third quarter.
The Patriots defense had settled in and Brady looked much more comfortable in the pocket than he did last week against
The fourth quarter began and Brady immediately went to work on the Raiders secondary, rifling a 32 yard pass to Wes Welker to set up a first and goal for New England. On second and goal, Brady found Branch in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The Patriots were now firmly in control of the game, 31-13 with 13:33 to play in the game.
The touchdown pass to Branch also moved Brady into 9th all time in Pass TD's, moving him ahead of his childhood idol, the great Joe Montana.
Arguably the play of the game came with ten minutes left to go in the fourth when Vince Wilfork intercepted a Jason Campbell pass; his second interception of the season. It all but sealed the game for New England and after a brutal loss to Buffalo last week, the Patriots looked poised, played balanced and with total confidence.
The defense bent but did not break against Oakland. The Raiders all but mailed in the rest of the fourth and the infamous, hostile Oakland Stadium had been silenced by the surprising play of the Patriots defense and the not-at-all surprising play of Brady and the offense.
The Raiders scored a late fourth quarter touchdown, but it was frustrating to watch the Patriots play too relaxed on defense. When the final whistle blew, the Patriots had picked up a big time win on the road against a powerful offensive team.
The final score was 31-19.
Brady finished the day 16 of 20 for 226 yards and 2 TD's.
Wes Welker had another big game, catching 9 balls for 158 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots running game ran the ball 29 times for 184 yards and played a big part in the win against Oakland.
The Patriots improved to (3-1) on the season and rebounded from their crushing defeat on the road against the Bills last week.
They return home to Gillette Stadium this week to take on their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets. Kick off at Gillette is 4:15 p.m.
Check back here on Foxborough Patch for a complete after game report.
