Patriots Given ‘C’ Grade For Rough Performance Against Raiders

The New England Patriots struggled in Mike Vrabel’s coaching debut, losing to the Las Vegas Raiders 20-13.

New England appeared to be an average team throughout the game, and CBS Sports’ John Breech graded every NFL team that played on Sunday, giving the Patriots a “C” grade.

“The Patriots rebuilt their defense this offseason, and if Week 1 was any indication, there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Breech wrote Monday. “On the bright side, the Patriots did hold the Raiders’ rushing attack to just 56 yards, but they had no answers for Geno Smith, who carved up New England’s secondary.

“The Patriots’ offense disappeared during the second half, where they simply couldn’t come up with any big plays. The unit went just 1 of 6 on third down in the final two quarters and 4 of 14 in the game. Part of the problem for the Patriots is that Drake Maye got zero help from a ground game that totaled just 60 yards. The Patriots went 4-13 last season, and so far, it doesn’t look like they’ve improved much.”

If the Patriots are unable to run the ball, their offense becomes one-dimensional, which is not ideal for a young quarterback like Maye, who is still learning the game.

Stepping back to pass 46 times won’t help Maye improve; it will actually make him worse. The defense will know what’s coming and be able to defend the pass much more easily.  

New England needs to improve its pass defense after allowing 362 yards through the air. The Patriots were missing starting cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who was ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

When Gonzalez returns, the Patriots’ pass defense should improve. Until then, the team will need to rely on the improved defensive line, with pass rusher Harold Landry pressuring the quarterback.