Raiders' Defense Cannot Underestimate Patriots' Offense
Any National Football League coach will tell you no week in the NFL is a given, no matter who the opponent is.
That mindset should be instilled in the Las Vegas Raiders (2-3) in their Week 6 game against with the New England Patriots (1-4), as while New England is off to a poor start, the Raiders still find themselves below .500 and have yet to run away with a game.
Some in the unforgiving world of football have criticized legendary Coach Bill Belichick for his team's slow start, especially after missing last year's postseason.
But if any coaching staff knows not to question a Belichick-led team, it's that of the Raiders, as many of their coaches have been on his staff.
Offensively, the Patriots might be one of the worst in the league, but that means nothing to Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, who served on Belichick's staff from 2009 to 2015.
"I know this from experience: Bill will have them ready to go -- Bill Belichick, Coach [Bill] O'Brien, they'll have them ready to go," Graham said when he addressed the media on Wednesday. "They've got really good players who we must prepare for, starting with the offensive line. They do a good job playing together, doing a good job of moving people off the line of scrimmage.
"They have a lot of weapons at the tight end position who are tough to cover. And they compete in the running game. The backs are big guys who are hard to tackle, and they're live in the passing game.
"And then, you get to the receivers and they all have certain skill-sets that they do a good job with. And it's tough. It's tough. And I know Bill will have them ready to go -- both Bill and the other Bill."
Graham served as a coaching assistant for New England in 2009, a defensive assistant in 2010, linebackers coach in 2011, defensive line coach in 2012 and 2013, and then back to linebackers coach in 2014 and 2015.
The Silver and Black will stay home at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to play the New England Patriots on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT.
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