Despite being down multiple starters to injury, the Patriots routed the Raiders in a 45-17 win at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

Let's start this week's review with a mea culpa to Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. After the Week 3 loss in Jacksonville, I grew a little impatient with McDaniels's slower schematic build-up at the start of the season. In yet another example of why I watch games in the press box while McDaniels is on the sideline with a headset and call sheet, we're now seeing the method to his madness as the Patriots continue to spice things up, sequencing plays and building different presentations to protect their core concepts.

During his media availability last week, McDaniels said the Patriots are running the same plays as they did in the first three games after folks like yours truly made a big deal about New England's increase in motion rate, play-actions, and unique personnel groupings in Buffalo. There's some truth to that, of course, but the Pats OC also ​buried the lede when he said he looks at the beginning of the season as a way to build a solid foundation based on strong fundamentals – you have to walk before you can run.

The Pats appear to be adding more spices each week, building on their foundation from training camp and the first month of the season. This week, it was motioning receivers into the passing strength to create three and four-receiver sides and a "double" sidecar formation that caught the eye. Technically, they're the same concepts once the ball is snapped, but the presentations are different, making the plays less predictable for defenses.

On Sunday, the Raiders gave Patriots QB Drake Maye chance after chance to target receivers on 1-on-1s outside the numbers – his bread and butter. Vegas did a fine job containing Maye on scrambles and when he extended plays, but inviting 1-on-1 deep shots from the pocket (four) and a 55.3% single-high coverage rate was an interesting strategy for the Raiders defense. Plus, even when the Raiders played two-high safeties, they often ran quarters structures where the backside corner was singled up on the backside receiver.

To the Patriots credit, they were ready to capitalize on the Raiders leaving their corners 1-on-1 on the outside. In our game preview, we discussed Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes hitting three bombs against Vegas's defense last week, including two vs. cover zero. The Raiders came into the week with a league-high cover zero rate of 10.3%. The Pats were well-prepared to get cover zero from the Raiders, who ran it only twice, but one of those drop-backs was a 49-yard completion to WR Kyle Williams. New England used a split-back formation to keep Maye clean, allowing him to throw downfield without deep-safety help.

"That was the look we were waiting for," Williams said after Sunday's game. "They didn't give it to us early. They ended up giving it to us later. Something we just had to take advantage of, and when I saw it, I knew (the ball) was coming."

With the Raiders giving the Patriots those 1-on-1s, Maye posted the highest single-game total expected points added (+28.7) and the third-highest EPA per drop-back (+0.76) of any quarterback this season. In my charting, Maye had 11 plus plays. But, more importantly, he only had four negative plays with zero turnover-worthy plays. It's Maye's first game without a turnover-worthy play since Week 17, 2025 (nine straight games), while his four minus plays were his fewest since Week 18, 2025.

When the offense is playing on time, it starts to look "easy" to play quarterback. Obviously, it's not easy. But Maye was in complete command while operating in structure on Sunday, which lessens the need for those "plus" plays and eases the burden on the QB, which keeps the ball out of harm's way. Maye's confidence, timing, and decisiveness are back to form. But my guess is defenses will get back to playing safeties over the top of outside receivers, open the middle of the field, and force Maye to beat them between the numbers.

Here's a review of the defense and quick-hit film notes from the Patriots win over the Raiders in Week 5.

Defense Review: Patriots Defense Stumps Raiders Offense with Pressure Package

Unlike the Patriots offense, the Raiders and veteran QB Kirk Cousins struggled against New England's pressure package on Sunday, speaking to the coaching mismatch once again.

Despite being down four corners, including top starters Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, the Pats played nickel defense on 93% of their defensive snaps. Now, some of that was because they were ahead on the scoreboard. But New England also treated Vegas's '12' personnel package like it was a three-receiver set by counting TE Brock Bowers as a wide receiver, even having NCB Marcus Jones travel with Bowers early in the game (the results there were mixed).

Ultimately, the Raiders couldn't make the Patriots pay for being in lighter personnel, partly because they abandoned their game plan, as Kubiak admitted post-game. Beyond personnel matching, Vegas also had no answer for the Patriots simulated pressures, with Cousins finishing 1-of-5 for four yards against five cover-zero drop-backs. The Pats heated up Cousins early with a 41.2% blitz rate in the first half, and the 38-year-old stationary pocket passer had no way to beat it.

For example, the Pats generated one of their three unblocked pressures here on a cover zero blitz. New England sends seven rushers to only six blockers, which means Cousins is "hot" when S Kevin Byard III comes off the edge. Byard gets into the backfield quickly with Cousins trying to target a vertical route to WR Tre Tucker, who has a step on CB Kindle Vildor, but the ball isn't catchable – see the difference between when the Pats brought a zero blitz compared to Maye's completed deep throw to Williams above.

New England cycled through cover zero blitzes throughout the game, dropping out or bluffing the pressure at times. In this example, the Pats show the same cover-zero structure to Cousins before the snap. Then they rotate into a tricky cover-two scheme. Cousins looks to the out at the top of the screen, but his receiver runs right into the flat corner in the short zone distribution, so he's forced to progress to his check-down (dropped by Jeanty).

The Patriots outplayed the Raiders in every facet, but they were also a step ahead of Vegas all afternoon – great coaching and execution for the second straight week.

Quick-Hit Film Notes From Patriots-Raiders

Offense

- WR Kyle Williams broke out with a career-high 91 receiving yards by creating vertical separation on a 34-yard TD (go route) and a 49-yard deep post vs. cover zero (shown above). Williams also drew a pass interference penalty running a vertical stop route (17-yard penalty). It wasn't perfect for Williams, who fell on his release when Maye looked his way (leading to a sack) and was called for offensive pass interference for engaging in his block on a screen before Maye threw the ball. Still, Williams's deep speed is a legit "superpower" that the Patriots need to feature, especially with Maye at quarterback.

- Although he was on the scene for two stuffed runs blocking from the slot, WR DeMario Douglas had one of his best games as a route-runner in recent memory. Douglas separated quickly on a 6-yard out to move the chains on fourth down, settled into a zone void for a 16-yard gain, caught a 35-yard TD on a busted coverage, and used a rub route out of a three-receiver bunch to uncover from man-to-man on his second TD. The fourth-down play is what they need consistently from Douglas; he ran a perfect route to separate from man coverage, and the zone-settle showed he's seeing the coverage at a high level.

- WR Efton Chism III runs in-breaking routes like a certain Patriot Hall of Famer who wore No. 11: stem the route into the corner's airspace, snap it off to create separation, stay level across the field to avoid being undercut. Chism caught a 17-yard cross, a 13-yard cross, a 15-yard out off a boot, an 8-yard "sit' route in mesh (great post-snap route adjustment), and was involved in the 16-yard hook-and-ladder, which was obviously by design (nice try, Drake). Chism has a great feel for the middle of the field.

- WR Romeo Doubs caught a 16-yard deep dig in the dagger concept and drew two DPIs (27 yards, 24 yards). However, you'd like to see him finish through contact better on his two deep targets and the high-point end zone fade. The corner made a nice play to swat down on Doubs' hands on his go ball into the end zone that was ever-so-slightly underthrown, but again, you'd like to see him finish those plays.

- TE Hunter Henry moved the chains on fourth down with a 7-yard angle route coming out of a bunch formation, showed great patience to let a 26-yard screen develop, and the Pats finally ran him on a stick-nod route on his 11-yard TD (great play call off their base stick concept). Henry's lone blemish was blocking the wrong blitzer on Maye's iffy grounding call.

- The Patriots usage of TE Eli Raridon has been "chef's kiss" to start his rookie year. The Pats are using Raridon on "takeoff" routes where he can open his strides on a 31-yard wheel route, a 13-yard boot/slide concept, and a 7-yard boot/cross. Raridon's explosiveness is flashing each week as a big downfield target with great build-up speed, a perfect fit with Maye. I've been very pleased with how McDaniels is keeping Raridon's route tree in his wheelhouse.

- Rookie TE Tanner Arkin got the first crack at the Reggie Gilliam role as a fullback/H-Back. Arkin was up-and-down, with a legit holding call on a "crunch' run scheme and a stuffed run (tripped leading through the gap). He was at the point of attack for an 11-yard lead draw.

- RB Rhamondre Stevenson had some terrific runs where he avoided early penetrators in the backfield to avoid negative plays. Stevenson's plus-plus 12-yard draw was one example, as he weaved around LB Nakobe Dean to keep the run on schedule. He did the same thing on two 1-yard runs that should have been TFLs. Stevenson also "bounced" a duo run for a 20-yard gain – a Pats RB seeing the duo bounce! That said, Stevenson did allow two pressures in blitz pickup duties this week.

- McDaniels was finding a groove with RB TreVeyon Henderson when the second-year back suffered an ankle injury on an 11-yard jet sweep: jet sweeps, draws, screens, hook-and-ladders – more of that stuff when he returns. It's a bummer they were finally getting Henderson some manufactured touches in space, and then he got hurt. – injuries stink.

- RB Cory Kiner's lost fumble will catch some flak, but he actually ran well besides the ball security issues. Even on the fumble, he initially made a defender miss to create a positive run. Kiner also had a great "bend back" in a zone scheme for a 32-yard gain, getting the Patriots into victory formation. I thought he ran with good creativity. Just needs to hold onto the ball.

- LT Will Campbell was off to a solid start before the ball carrier landed on the back of his knee/leg while getting tackled. Campbell allowed one bull-rush pressure to Malcolm Koonce in 17 pass-blocking snaps and had a great duo/down block on Stevenson's 5-yard TD. Early reports indicate Campbell has a knee sprain and is expected to miss some time.

- Rookie OT Caleb Lomu played the final 49 snaps at left tackle for Campbell, allowing just one hurry in his own end zone when Koonce's long arm created a short corner. Lomu also allowed a stuffed run while blocking as the jumbo TE. Overall, Lomu did well. His recovery talent is impressive. He does a great job running his feet and widening rushers to recover to at least to survive the rep. If he can improve his initial feet/angles in his initial pass set, Lomu has the athletic traits to be a high-level pass blocker.

- RT Morgan Moses battled with Raiders star Maxx Crosby, allowing three pressures to Crosby on a high-side speed rush, an inside spin move, and an inside arm over/swim counter. Moses was also called for a false start and a hold, but the hold was more on Maye for vacating the pocket. Overall, Moses has been a bit more inconsistent as he plays through a foot injury, but he's getting the tougher assignments most weeks and is still playing at a starter level.

- LG Alijah Vera-Tucker was on the scene for two stuffed runs and was also called for a hold on a run play, while there was some stuff to clean up on the interior in pass pro. The Pats had one rep where the left side slid outside expecting C Jared Wilson to come over, but Wilson opened the other direction, which caused pressure. Vera-Tucker also allowed pressure on a failed T/T stunt pass off with Wilson, so the communication/chemistry there remains a work in progress.

- C Jared Wilson can really get out on screens (Henry's 26-yarder), and his 1-on-1 pass pro has settled down. But the Raiders inside line stunts were a problem for the interior at times, with Wilson involved in two pressures on stunts, one with Vera-Tucker and one with RG Ben Brown.

- RG Ben Brown allowed three pressures and was called for a hold when Thomas Booker crossed him over on a play-action rep. Booker gave Brown some problems with his power, and DT Adam Butler also beat him on a spin move. Overall, Brown is playing well enough to stay at right guard, but all three interior blockers need to improve on stunts moving forward.

- Pressures (39.5%): Moses (QB hit, three hurries), Brown (three hurries), Wilson (two hurries), Stevenson (two hurries), one each (Campbell, Lomu, Vera-Tucker, Henry).

Defense

- DT Milton Williams had his best performance of the season by maximizing his 17 reps where he was 1-on-1 with six quarterback pressures (35.7% double-team rate). Williams logged two bull-rush pressures, two rip-move variations, and one where his speed was too much for Raiders RG Jackson Powers-Johnson, who allowed 4 of 6 pressures to Williams. The Pats stud DT also forced a cutback by beating C Tyler Linderbaum across his face on a slant to cause a stuffed run. The Pats need more of this from Williams.

- OLB Elijah Ponder logged his strip-sack with his dip rush and his other sack came on a good retrace/climb of the pocket when Cousins held the ball too long. Ponder also took advantage of LT Kolton Miller pinching inside on a cover-zero pressure, which created a short corner for him to log another pressure, and he stuffed a 2-yard screen. Ponder's speed, bend, and closing burst show up on film every week.

- OLB Gabe Jacas logged two pressures with his bull rush, including a QB hit when the Raiders tried blocking him with TE Michael Mayer (ya, okay). Jacas also stuffed an outside zone run to his side (nice fill by Elliss to force the bounce) and made a TD-saving tackle on a tunnel screen that only gained four yards. Jacas's motor in pursuit is impressive to watch each week.

- OLB Dre'Mont Jones had a terrific 11-yard TFL where he sniffed out a reverse to WR Tre Tucker, which knocked the Raiders out of field goal range in a 14-7 game late in the second quarter – a huge play when the game was still competitive. Jones also logged a pressure on a boot that forced Cousins to throw the ball away. He continues to make impactful plays.

- DT Cory Durden anchored against a base block well in the run game on a stuffed run, had a bull-rush pressure, and reset the line of scrimmage with a flashy rep vs. C Tyler Linderbaum on the play he got hurt on. With DT Christian Barmore (shoulder) limited to 25 snaps, Durden, who played only 15 snaps, showed up a few times on the film.

- LB Christian Elliss had a quarterback hit on a cover zero blitz that set an early tone for the Patriots defense. Elliss also stood out with three stuffed runs and some urgent downhill fills that forced Raiders ball carriers to bounce runs, which eventually led to stuffs. Elliss's lone blemish was allowing a 31-yard checkdown to Jeanty in two-man in garbage time.

- LB Robert Spillane also had three stuffed runs clogging some interior rushing lanes, but he was in the area on Bowers's 27-yard completion where he tried to "robot" underneath Bowers's in-breaker off play-action (robot - when the defender turns his back to the LOS and runs underneath the nearest route). That said, both Pats ILBs made plays to contribute to the win.

- CB Charles Woods nearly began this game with a pick-six by jumping a pass in the flat to RB Ashton Jeanty in cover zero, but Woods dropped the INT. He also logged another PBU, recovering to an out route by Cody White in cover zero, blew up a screen to Bowers (-3 yards), and jumped outs to the Raiders' outside receivers on multiple occasions to take away Cousins's first read. Woods gets a little aggressive jumping out-breakers, which makes you a bit worried about double moves down the line, but it was highly effective on Sunday.

- CB Kindle Vildor did well to plaster to Bowers on his third-down pass breakup that came on a scramble drill, had good coverage on WR Malik Benson in a two-man rep where he was targeted on third down, made a nice stick to limit a jet sweep to five yards, and forced a fumble with a peanut punch. Vildor was trailing in coverage on a vertical to WR Tre Tucker, but Cousins couldn't throw a catchable ball under pressure. Overall, Vildor was competitive in coverage as the third corner filling in for Gonzalez and Davis III.

- NCB Marcus Jones was given some extremely tough assignments against Raiders TE Brock Bowers. My guess is the Pats coaches felt Jones was the best defender to travel with Bowers because he knows both the slot and outside corner coverages, while Vildor and Woods are used to playing outside. Still, Jones gave up a 24-yard condensed fade, a 13-yard touchdown, and was put in a tough spot on an 18-yard shallow cross when a zone blitz didn't get home. Jones will expect to do better, but he was giving up over six inches and nearly 70 pounds in nine matchups vs. Bowers.

- S Craig Woodson could squeeze some of the routes into his half-field safety zones in the Pats cover two schemes a bit better. He allowed 16 and 14-yard completions into the cover-two hole along the sideline. Woodson also stuffed a run and logged a pressure on a cover zero blitz.

- S Kevin Byard III logged two pressures in blitz schemes but got called for a 14-yard DPI covering Mayer (iffy) and allowed a 10-yard out to Tucker in a tricky cover two zone. I find it interesting that the Pats are playing Byard closer to the line of scrimmage (23 snaps) almost as much as Woodson (32 snaps). My guess is they want to disguise it so offenses can't expect Byard to always be the free safety. But the veteran is clearly at his best playing deep safety while Woodson is at his best close to the line of scrimmage.

- QB pressures (48.4%): Williams (six hurries), Ponder (two sacks, QB hit), Byard (QB hit, hurry), Jacas (QB hit, hurry), Taylor (sack), Da. Jones (QB hit), Elliss (QB hit), Durden (hurry), Brown (hurry), Woodson (hurry), Obiazor (hurry). Run stops: Elliss (3), Spillane (3), Dre. Jones (2), Ponder (2), Durden (1), Obiazor (1).

- Coverage: M. Jones (5/5/87 yards/TD), Elliss (7/6/75 yards), Woodson (3/2/31 yards), Vildor (5/2/27 yards/PBU), Brown (2/2/19 yards), Muassau (3/3/18 yards), Woods (4/2/11 yards/2 PBUs), Byard (1/1/10 yards), Spillane (1/1/7 yards), Davison (3/1/6 yards/PBU).

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer