Brady, Patriots dismantle Raiders en route to 33-8 blowout in Mexico City

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady scrambles with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Mexico City. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

By Jeremy Kahn

MEXICO CITY — It seems that the bye week did not help the Oakland Raiders figure out how to defeat the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

In his first ever game in Mexico, Tom Brady threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns and the Patriots defeated the Raiders 33-8 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Brady completed his first 12 passes, as the Patriots raise their record to 8-2 on the season and return home to face the Miami Dolphins on November 25 at Gillette Stadium.

The former Serra High star went 30-for-37 for 339 yards and those three touchdowns, and was sacked one time by the Raiders defense.

Dion Lewis led the Patriots running game with 10 carries for 60 yards.

Brandin Cooks, who is in his first year with the Patriots caught six passes for 149 yards that included a 64-yard touchdown pass from Brady. Danny Amendola led the Patriots in receptions, as he caught eight passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Lewis also caught four passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.

This was the second year in a row that the Raiders headed to the capital of Mexico, and were looking for their second straight win after last year’s 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans.

Derek Carr finally got the Raiders on the board in the fourth quarter, as he found Amari Cooper for the Raiders’ only score of the afternoon.

Carr ended up going 28-for-49 for 237 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. He was also sacked once.

Marshawn Lynch led the Raiders running game, as he carried the ball 11 times for 67 yards, including a season-long 25-yard run.

Michael Crabtree led the Raiders in receiving, as he caught six passes for 51 yards on the afternoon.

Cooper, who caught the lone touchdown for the Raiders caught three passes for 28 yards against the Patriots.

Stephen Gostkowski hit a Patriots record 62-yard field goal to give the Patriots a commanding 17-0 lead at the half. The Gostkowski field goal tied for the sixth longest in NFL history. Gostkowski ended up kicking four field goals on the afternoon.

The NFL record for longest field goal in a game is held by Matt Prater, who while playing for the Denver Broncos hit a 64-yard field goal in 2014.

Notes: After being on the road since their dramatic last-second victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 19, the Raiders return home on November 26 to face AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos.

Johnny Holton went to the locker room in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion, but he returned in the second half and was uncalled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 or more yards in three different countries. He did it twice in London and threw for 300 or more on 79 different occasions in the United States.

Leave a comment