A game in Buffalo wasn't expected to go as well as the Patriots did last week, especially since they desperately needed a win to get their season back on track. They did just that, stealing another win against their biggest divisional foe, and hoped to follow it up with another strong performance against the 3-1 Raiders.
It would be their first 2-0 home start since the 2020 season, and while that would be meaningful, building on their success over an AFC contender last week was more crucial.
It was clear they understood how important that was, given how explosive they came out at the start of the game. From the defense forcing a 3-and-out on the Raiders' first drive to Drake Maye recording his second 300+ passing-yard game of his career, it was an unexpected but well-received showing (of course) for Patriots fans.
They now go into their next divisional matchup against the Jets riding on another high, and they should be pretty proud of just how good they have looked over the past two weeks.
10 immediate takeaways from the Patriots' big-time win
1. The referees made their presence known early and often, forgetting the game is not about them. In the first quarter alone, the Patriots and Raiders were hit with 100+ yards in penalties, and that continued throughout the rest of the game.
Unfortunately, they got stuck with a flag-happy crew that will look for any chance to penalize a team.
2. The injury bug continues to plague the Patriots this year, something they were fortunate enough not to deal with last season. Will Campbell grabbed his right knee, the same one he injured last season, and TreVeyon Henderson appeared to hurt his ankle. Both left for the locker room in the 2nd quarter and were ruled out midway through the third.
3. For all the concerns about the pass rush group Mike Vrabel chose to go with this season, they continue to prove those worries wrong with impressive performances every week. Elijah Ponder has become a name to remember, recording at least a .5 sack in four straight games and adding 2 sacks, including a strip sack, against the Raiders.
4. Charles Woods, who was a starter with Carlton Davis and Christian Gonzalez out, appeared to reinjure the shoulder that kept him limited at practice all week. If he can't practice or play next week, the Patriots could be down five cornerbacks against the Jets, which isn't ideal.
5. Drake Maye's confidence was beyond apparent in last week's game, but you could tell he was back to his 2025 self in this game. Maybe all he needed was a great game against the Bills to feel like himself again.
6. Caleb Lomu was the first-round pick this year and was immediately considered a red-shirt rookie. That's how he spent the first five weeks of the season, only coming onto the field as an extra lineman, but he had to step in for Will Campbell after his injury before halftime.
Because he played left tackle in college, he seemed more comfortable in that role than on the right side, and he held his own in his NFL debut.
7. The Raiders averaged 28 points in their first four games, and this week wasn't expected to be much different, given how many defensive players were sidelined for the Patriots. But even with some of their best players not on the field, the defense held them to just 17 points.
8. If there were still any concerns about Maye's shoulder, his consistent deep throws, like his 49-yard pass to Kyle Williams, surely ended them.
9. At the end of the game, the offense totaled 539 yards - the most in the Mike Vrabel era. This is a testament to his leadership, Josh McDaniels' adjusted play-calling, and Maye's ability to overcome a
10. The Raiders got beat up so badly that they had Fernando Mendoza, the first-overall pick in this year's draft, start with 6:04 left in the game. It was his NFL debut, in the stadium of the quarterback he grew up idolizing.
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