Foxboro, MA (SportsNetwork.com) – Vince Wilfork intercepted a deflected pass
deep in New England territory after Oakland had a potential tying touchdown
negated by a penalty, as the Patriots held on for a 16-9 victory over the
Raiders on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
The Raiders held New England to a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter to
keep it a seven-point game and marched from their own 38 to the New England 6
in the final minutes. Darren McFadden found a big hole and cruised into the
end zone, but a holding penalty wiped out the touchdown.
Derek Carr then tried to hit Denarius Moore with a short pass, but the ball
deflected off the receiver’s hands and into the arms of Wilfork at the New
England 11 with just under a minute to play.
The Patriots (2-1) were able to run out the remaining time to earn their
second straight win.
Tom Brady was held in check for the most part, throwing for 234 yards with a
touchdown on 24-of-37 passing. Rob Gronkowski caught the TD pass and Julian
Edelman had 10 receptions for 84 yards.
Carr completed 21-of-34 passes for 174 yards and McFadden finished with 59
yards on 18 carries for Oakland (0-3), which is winless after three games for
the first time since an 0-5 start in 2006.
The Raiders, held to three Sebastian Janikowski field goals, have lost 15
straight games in the Eastern time zone. They’ll head further east for their
next game, a matchup next Sunday with Miami in London.
Each team had four offensive possessions in a quickly played first half.
Oakland took its second series 50 yards in 13 plays and grabbed a 3-0 lead on
a 49-yard Janikowski field goal.
New England, after a pair of punts in the opening quarter, scored 10 points in
the second. A 15-play, 84-yard drive featured five third-down conversions, one
thanks to a pass interference penalty on an incomplete pass, and ended with
Brady’s 6-yard scoring toss to Gronkowski.
The Raiders then went three-and-out and the Patriots tacked on a 21-yard
Stephen Gostkowski field goal as time expired in the half.
Oakland picked up a pair of Janikowski field goals in the third. A 37-yard
kick capped the Raiders’ first drive of the second half and a 29-yard pass
from Carr to Andre Holmes on 3rd-and-4 set up a 47-yard boot to make it 10-9
with 2:21 left in the third.
Brady then drove the Patriots to the Oakland 2, but threw incomplete on second
and third down before Gostkowski drilled a 20-yard field goal to extend the
margin to four early in the fourth.
After another Oakland three-and-out, Gostkowski capped a 12-play, 63-yard set
with a 36-yard field goal to make it 16-9 with 6:20 remaining.
Game Notes
The Patriots have won 12 of their last 13 home openers … Carr completed
passes to nine different receivers, with McFadden taking in four but for only
six yards … The Patriots converted 9-of-18 third downs and outgained the
Raiders 297-241 … New England has won four straight against Oakland … The
Patriots will visit Kansas City next Monday night.
