The Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots go head-to-head in Week 6 of the NFL season. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 15 from Allegiant Stadium, and the game will air on CBS. The last time Josh McDaniels faced his mentor Bill Belichick, the Raiders came away with a dramatic walk-off interception win, 30-24.
The Raiders are 3-point favorites against the Patriots, with all odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Patriots vs. Raiders, Week 6: Pick against the spread
New England’s lone win on the season has come against the New York Jets in a 15-10 win at MetLife Stadium. Neither their 25th-ranked defense (26.2 PPG allowed) nor their last-ranked offense (11.0 PPG) has stepped up to the plate through the first five weeks, giving serious doubts as to the trajectory of their season.
Despite being in the midst of a two-game slump in which he was pulled from both games in the second half, Mac Jones will remain the starting quarterback for Sunday’s bout against the Raiders.
Las Vegas has yet to score 20 points in a single game this season, and yet they have found ways to win in at least two matchups to begin the year. Their defense, led by four tackles for loss and a sack by Maxx Crosby, helped propel the Raiders to a 17-13 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 5. With the Patriots bringing their 32nd-ranked scoring offense to town this week, look for another tightly contested affair with each team’s defense at the forefront.
New England is 1-4 against the spread this season, while Las Vegas is 2-3 through five games. Both these teams have a negative average scoring margin, but when it comes to having the better-skill players on offense, the Raiders hold the clear edge with Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, and Jakobi Meyers. We’ll likely see another affair to finish under the point total, but at home, the Raiders should lean on their defense to win by at least a field goal, much like they did last week.