The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to bounce back and stay firmly in the AFC Playoff conversation during their Week 5 matchup against the New England Patriots. To preview the contest, Silver and Black Pride reached out to our friends at Pats Pulpit, and Taylor Kyles was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Patriots for Raider Nation.
Q: Drake Maye was an MVP candidate last year and looked anything but that during the first three weeks of the season. What’s been the difference between his
play in the last two years? Is there a sense that Maye has turned the corner after having his first good performance in Week 4?
A: Drake Maye’s arm talent, athleticism, and instincts were evident during his rookie season, but he was held back by a lackluster supporting cast, a basic scheme, and poor leadership. Under HC Mike Vrabel and OC Josh McDaniels, Maye’s potential was on full display thanks to a proven system, an upgraded, if less-than-stellar supporting cast, and a more experienced coaching staff. His fundamentals and willingness to climb the pocket or keep his eyes downfield when scrambling took massive steps forward, though fumbles and down-to-down consistency were still work in progress.
Through the first three weeks of this season, Maye’s ball security, footwork, and understanding of when to take chances all took significant steps back, leading to several moments that had people questioning if he was the same guy. The ability was still there, and overall Maye was making more positive plays than negative, but too much of the bad was inexcusable, and it kept putting the team in bad positions.
Maye didn’t exactly nip his turnover problem in the bud last week, but he looked far more like 2025 Maye by making crucial plays with his legs and delivering several accurate and well-timed throws downfield. The hope is Maye continues trending in that direction, but he has to prove that on the field.
Q: Along similar lines, a lot was made about Will Campbell’s arm length and the Patriots’ ability to protect Maye after the Super Bowl. How has the offensive line looked so far in 2026? How well do they handle stunts, simulated pressures, creeper blitzes, etc., which the Raiders have learned heavily on through the first four weeks?
A: The Patriots have surrendered pressure at a pretty high rate, but pass protection has done a solid job keeping Maye upright overall. LT Will Campbell, LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, and C Jared Wilson are still learning to work together consistently against stunts. Vera-Tucker and Wilson have been impressive overall. Campbell has sneakily struggled against top-notch edge rushers one-on-one this season, and that was exposed last week when he was left on an island against Greg Rousseau. If I were the Raiders, I’d have Maxx Crosby challenge Campbell on money downs and some obvious passing situations.
RG Mike Onwenu going down was a huge hit, as he’s arguably the team’s best offensive lineman. He’s been replaced by usual C/LG Ben Brown, who gave up a few pressures but competed well against a tough Buffalo interior. RT Morgan Moses is currently the team’s best lineman, but his explosiveness and mobility have been limited by a foot injury. He’s survived on patience, technique, and his natural talent, but he’ll likely need chip help against Vegas’ explosive edge rushers.
Schematically, New England has done well to identify and stop most simulated pressures and blitzes, thanks in large part to Rhamondre Stevenson being one of the league’s best pass-protecting backs. The offense has struggled against blitzes, but that’s had more to do with the creation of one-on-one matchups and increased ability to create confusion with stunts.
Q: One of New England’s biggest offseason additions, wide receiver A.J. Brown, is currently on injured reserve and won’t be playing on Sunday. Who has picked up the slack? Is there a pass-catcher you think can have a big impact against the Raiders?
A: Romeo Doubs has improved each week since catching zero passes in his debut. Last week, the chemistry he and Maye showed on vertical routes this summer was on full display, including back-to-back plays where Doubs caught a hole shot before scoring on a backside post.
Maye loves his X receivers, and though Doubs doesn’t fit the prototypical mold, he’s big and experienced enough to win one-on-one, particularly in the red zone. I’d expect Maye to target him early and often against a young Raiders cornerback group, especially with Mack Hollins missing this week’s game.
Q: Despite the offense’s struggles to begin the campaign, the Patriots’ defense has been stingy, ranking sixth in points and yards allowed. If you’re Klint Kubiak, how would you go about attacking this defense? Conversely, what would you say to avoid doing?
A: I would attack the Patriots’ interior defensive line in the ground game first and foremost. The group looked much better last week than they had the previous three, which was impressive with Christian Barmore out, but that inconsistency must be tested. Specifically, I’d use zone runs that get the play flowing one way before cutting back behind potential overflow.
In the passing game, I’d literally target Brock Bowers 15-20 times. With Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis out for this game, Bowers will have a size advantage over all of New England’s corners and a talent advantage over everyone but maybe Marcus Jones. Force the Patriots to do everything in their power to take Bowers away, then see if you can catch them sleeping elsewhere.
Q: Similar to the wide receivers, edge defender Harold Landry III hasn’t played yet this season. Who has filled in for Landry? Is there another defensive lineman who you think will make an impact against the Raiders?
A: Dre’Mont Jones has stepped up as the veteran in the room, and he’s exceeded most people’s expectations despite being limited a bit by injury. He’s currently top-10 among edge rushers in pass rush win rate and pressure rate, and it shows on the tape with his advanced hand-fighting and instincts.
That said, Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas have come on strong to round out the group. Ponder went from an undrafted rookie role player to a starter this season, and he’s blooming into the quick winner he showed the potential to be at Cal Poly. Jacas missed the entire spring due to a contract dispute and had a slightly late start to the summer, but his improvement has been steady since, and he’s become one of the defense’s top playmakers. Ponder and Jacas are still pretty raw, but they’re tough, heads-up players with bright futures.
