Previewing the New England Patriots
The Las Vegas Raiders are a team that rarely lacks for intriguing narratives throughout the season, but they'll likely get their money's worth this week.
That's because the Raiders will be hosting the New England Patriots on Sunday, which put Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels opposite his former boss, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick.
It's not the first time that the two have faced each other on opposing sidelines, as McDaniels is 1-0 against Belichick from when McDaniels was in his first year as the head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Much has changed since then, of course, including the Patriots' status as the team to beat across the NFL.
They're still in the playoff hunt with a 7-6 record, but that hasn't come from a particularly good offense, ranking a middling 19th in points per game.
The Patriots have had three different quarterbacks start due to injuries, while running back Rhamondre Stevenson has probably been their most consistent player on that side of the ball.
Defensively, it's evident that Belichick hasn't lost his touch in forming a unit that's sixth in the NFL in both points and total yards allowed.
Having to go up against that kind of defensive mastermind after the Raiders scored only three points in the second half last week against the Los Angeles Rams will be a significant challenge.
In a way, though, it could motivate McDaniels to put together his best game plan of the season so he can stand toe-to-toe with not only his former boss, but arguably the greatest coach in the history of the sport.
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