Patriots Pregame Thread 2025 Raiders @ Patriots - Early thoughts

[TheRainMaker]

Predict the Pats uniform combo.

I'm going with the blue jersey and silver pants.

 

[State]

Interesting to see Jeanty. He could be The Real Deal. Bowers already is.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Interesting to see Jeanty. He could be The Real Deal. Bowers already is.

100%. I have to imagine we will be able to contain Jeanty, but no matter what we scheme up, Bowers will get his, very special player.

 

[sb1]

If the Patriots have playoff aspirations this season this would be a bad time for an “extended preseason”. They might need that H2H tiebreaker over the Raiders to get in.

Important game.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

My (perhaps overly hopeful) week one deja vu moment: Remember when Brian Griese and Tom Brady first squared off in a Broncos-Patriots game, and some announcer said "we're following the wrong Michigan quarterback" or something?

I'd like to hear "we might be following the wrong rookie runningback."

This is not about the probability so much as how cool it would be. I just got a nostalgic premonition of deja vu.

 

[sb1]

Bingo. Pats, Raiders will both be in contention for the 7th seed. HUGE game.
This Raiders team is a potential playoff team. Not a pushover like some here are saying.

I’ll go further and say they might make noise in the AFC West.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I’ll go further and say they might make noise in the AFC West.

Really?

I see 6, maybe 7 wins tops for them.

 

[Ross12]

Here’s a question? Who’s lining up at RT for the Patriots to face Crosby? Is it Moses or Bryant? Haven’t seen any confirmation on that yet.

It’s definitely Moses, that’s why they barely used him all camp - to save him for the real games. They wouldn’t have paid him so much just to be a backup.

 

[PatsfanTN]

After listening to Vrabels PC just now, doesn’t sound good for Gonzo week 1

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

It’s definitely Moses, that’s why they barely used him all camp - to save him for the real games. They wouldn’t have paid him so much just to be a backup.

Agreed. However I'm sure Vrabs will have a short leash on him.
Also, his age/usage needs to be monitored as you mentioned, so we may see him spelled with Bryant just to keep him fresh, of course assuming Bryant can fill in admirably.

 

[neuronet]

Vrabel is a great defensive coach. Josh will have a brilliant offensive plan with our shiny new tools. Home game with enthusiasm? We got this!

Pats 27 Raiders 17

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Vrabel is a great defensive coach. Josh will have a brilliant offensive plan with our shiny new tools. Home game with enthusiasm? We got this!

Pats 27 Raiders 17

Love it. granted, I'll immediately explain it away if we get destroyed because, game 1, right? But it would be nice to win it... not by some epic margin, any W will do. But sure, I'd take 52-0 too.

 

[Joey007]

After listening to Vrabels PC just now, doesn’t sound good for Gonzo week 1

I’m hearing that. Anyone have the transcript?

I’ll be honest, don’t feel good about this one without Gonzo. I think Geno will torch us again.

 

[Thunderhead]

Gonzo likely not playing and continued OL issues have me thinking they start 0-1.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

I’m hearing that. Anyone have the transcript?

I’ll be honest, don’t feel good about this one without Gonzo. I think Geno will torch us again.

Geno had way too many clean pockets in that game, our pass rush was abysmal. It will be better Sunday, I am sure of that. We also had several blown coverages, like the zero blitz on DK TD. That won't happen again.

 

[Joey007]

Gonzo likely not playing and continued OL issues have me thinking they start 0-1.

It feels like they’ll have to win a shootout. And I don’t trust the offense to be ready for a shootout yet.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

It feels like they’ll have to win a shootout. And I don’t trust the offense to be ready for a shootout yet.

Everyone seems to think our D will good, like top 10 good (popular opinion, obv just a projection). You think losing Gonzo takes our D from top 10, to giving up shootout type points?
I don't, especially as I expect us to play typical Vrabs smashmouth running football.
Time will tell, but I trust our D and Vrabs over Geno Smith.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Pats 21-17 without glass Gonzo

 

[TomPatriot]

It will be interesting to see if the Pats ever go full “small ball” and put Diggs, Pop and Chism on the field at the same time. Diggs at X, Pop at Z and Chism in the slot. Three guys who can get open quickly.

Big fan of this concept. He has Henry and Hooper for big targets. Pats need guys who can create separation quickly or Maye will be looking up at Mad Max all day.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Big fan of this concept. He has Henry and Hooper for big targets. Pats need guys who can create separation quickly or Maye will be looking up at Mad Max all day.

We still need to threaten the deep 1/3rd of the field, or our opponents will do exactly what they did against us with Mac. The D will shrink closer to the LOS and take away those quick throws if we don't make them respect the threat of deeper shots. We simply can't just rely on and say, "short quick throws". We've seen in the past, that doesn't work if that's all you can do.