The Las Vegas Raiders head to Foxboro Sunday for a big road test against the New England Patriots. The Raiders are coming off a tough home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, while the Patriots are coming off a big 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots have several key players to watch in Sunday's matchup.
RB's Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson
The Raiders have the 27th-ranked run defense, giving up 134.5 yards per game. Last week against Kansas City, running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 177 yards.
With Las Vegas struggling to stop the run, the Patriots will put the ball in Rhamondre Stevenson's hands. He leads New England in rushing with 163 yards. Stevenson is a physical runner who breaks tackles; the Raiders will need to tackle as a team to get Stevenson down. He is also
good at catching out of the backfield, with 16 catches for the season.
Henderson has added 141 yards on the ground this season. He is a big-play threat, and his speed makes him dangerous. Las Vegas will need to put bodies on him before he gets going. The Raiders must contain the Patriots' running game with strong tackling and gap control.
QB Drake Maye
Although Maye has turned the ball over nine times this season, he can still put together a good game. Last week against the Bills, he threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Maye can also use his left side to get key first downs and extend plays. The Raiders must play disciplined on the defensive line to keep him in the pocket, and when they get their hands on him, they must bring Maye down. Missed tackles and undisciplined play could lead to a road loss.
WR Romeo Doubs
Romeo Doubs has 12 catches for 203 yards this season and two recent touchdowns. Eric Stokes or Hezekiah Masses will likely single up against Doubs. He is a downfield threat, so the Raiders' cornerback must be ready to limit explosive plays.
MLB Robert Spillane
As the Raiders look to get the ground game going, former Raiders middle linebacker Robert Spillane will look to keep that from happening. Spillane leads the Patriots in tackles with 29. If Las Vegas wants to run the ball successfully, they will need to put a body on Spillane. The Raiders need to mix up their play-calling to keep Spillane off balance. They will need to control Spillane in order to get the run game can get going.
S Kevin Byard
Kevin Byard is a crafty veteran safety. Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins needs to know where Byard is at all times and avoid forcing throws over the middle. Byard earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2025 and is a key part of New England's secondary. So far this season, he has 16 tackles and one pass defended.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Key Patriots players to watch Week 5 vs Raiders
