Jon Gruden, Las Vegas Raiders Taking on Bill Belichick
Coach Jon Gruden and the Las Vegas Raiders will go against Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, undoubtedly the best coach of the modern era and one the best in NFL history, on Sunday at Foxboro Stadium.
The 68-year-old Belichick has led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, and even without quarterback Tom Brady shows no signs of slowing down.
“He’s the best coach,” said Gruden, who has one Super Bowl title to his credit. “He’s gonna have a plan for you. What you saw last week is probably not what you’re going to see on game day. … Great coach himself, but he knows how to hire great (assistant) coaches.
“ … We’re excited to play the Patriots and see what we can get done in a short week. They’re a heck of a team.”
The Raiders (2-0), after upsetting the New Orleans Saints, 34-24, on Monday Night Football, actually have a better record than the Patriots (1-1), who are coming off a 35-30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Belichick, whose relationship with Gruden goes back more than two decades, said he has been impressed by what he has seen of the Raiders.
“The Raiders, obviously, this is a very impressive start that they’ve had,” said Belichick, who is in his 21st season with the Patriots and has a 274-126 career record, plus a 31-12 mark in the post-season.
“I think that Coach Gruden has done an outstanding job, really, of putting this team together in a pretty short amount of time, both from a personnel standpoint, coaching staff, and just the way that he’s been able to get the players to do the things that I know he believes in and what he wants them to do.”
Belichick was talking to reporters in the middle of the week, but he obviously had already done his homework on the Silver and Black.
Which is exactly what you would expect.
“He’s rebuilt the offensive line, the skill players on offense and the running back position,” said Belichick, who knew the names and numbers of every one he will face this week. “So, they have a very good running game, they complete a high percentage of passes, score a lot of points, control the ball, drive the ball down the field, execute very well. I think Jon has the offensive group playing a very high level. They’re good in the kicking game. Young specialists, but guys that are obviously good and have a great future in front of them. Good return game, good coverage units.
“I think (Jeff) Heath’s really helped them, (Keisean) Nixon. So, they’ve got a good group of guys there and then defensively, the players that they’ve added, the pass rushers last couple years therewith (Maxx) Crosby, (Clelin) Ferrell and then the guys in a secondary therewith (Johnathan) Abram, (Trayvon) Mullen and (Damon) Arnette to go with (Lamarcus) Joyner and (Erik) Harris, very experienced players back there. They’ve got a lot of experience at linebacker with (Corey) Littleton and (Nicholas) Morrow and those guys, (Nick) Kwiatkoski if he plays. (Johnathan) Hankins inside is a tough guy to block.
“So, they have a good mixture of youth and experience there. Coach (Paul) Guenther is one of the top (defensive) coordinators in the league.”
Gruden probably couldn’t have given a much better rundown of the Raiders as he prepares to return to a stadium were his memories are vivid—and not very good.
Belichick and Gruden became confidants during Gruden’s nine years as a television analyst for ESPN on Monday Night Football, the NFL Draft, and some of the major college bowl games.
“It’s a lot easier to have a relationship with somebody who’s not in direct competition with you,” Belichick said of his once and current adversary.
And they have a history.
The Oakland Raiders, in Gruden’s first tenure with the Silver and Black, seemed to have beaten the Patriots on a snowy day during the 2001 NFL playoffs when Charles Woodson knocked the ball from Brady’s hands in the closing minutes.
The Raiders recovered, but the play was overturned by the infamous “Tuck Rule,” and the Patriots went on to win, 16-13, on Adam Vinatieri’s field goal in overtime. A few weeks later Belichick, Brady, and New England claimed their first Super Bowl title.
“Yeah, thanks for bringing that up,” Gruden, whose 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were routed by the Patriots, 28-0, in his only other game at Foxboro as a head coach, said to reporters this week. “(Brady) did fumble that damn ball.
“ … Anytime you step in a stadium like that, it does bring back memories. Some of the memories aren’t great, but we’re excited to play.”
And he hopes to get the better of the best, Belichick, this time.
How to watch or listen to the Las Vegas Raiders versus the New England Patriots Sunday?
TV: CBS 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
Radio: Raider Nation Radio
Odds: New England -5.5
Tell us what you think in the comment section below and please make sure you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Raiders Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE FOLLOW button on the main page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter, @HikaruKudo1
