FLASH RECAP:
Former Raiders stars Randy Moss and LaMont Jordan combine for three touchdowns in New England’s rout of Oakland before an announced crowd of 61,179 at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum on Dec. 14, 2008.
The Raiders’ performance is more abysmal than the steady downpour of rain.
Oakland (3-11) surrenders 487 total yards and 35 first-half points. New England (9-5) scores touchdowns on its first four possessions.
The Patriots’ Matt Cassel does a great impersonation of the injured Tom Brady by throwing for a career-high four touchdowns (two to Moss) and engineering six TD drives.
The Raiders set an NFL record for futility with at least 11 losses in six consecutive seasons. They shared the previous mark with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had 11 or more loses five straight seasons (1985 through 1989).
“To go out there and for things not to go the way you draw them up, it’s tough to tell the guys to keep fighting, just to keep pushing, that things are going to turn around,” quarterback JaMarcus Russell tells reporters after Oakland suffers its fifth loss this season of 23 points or more. “Everybody looks at each other like, ‘When?’ It’s really depressing.”
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Matt Cassel — Throws for four TDs on 18-of-30 passing for 218 yards and no INTs. The former USC backup engineers touchdowns on New England’s first four drives.
WR Randy Moss — The ex-Raider has 6 catches for 66 yards and 2 TDs.
RB LaMont Jordan — Caps the Patriots’ scoring onslaught with a 49-yard TD run against his former team. Jordan, who played in Oakland from 2005 to 2007, finishes with 97 rushing yards on 12 carries.
KR Justin Miller — Returns a kickoff 91 yards for a TD during the second quarter. Miller had a 92-yard kickoff return for a score in Week 14 against San Diego.
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins — Has a 56-yard TD catch late in the first quarter, Oakland’s second offensive touchdown in 79 first-half possessions this season.
RB Darren McFadden — Has an 11-yard TD run and 3 catches for 68 yards.
KEY STATS:
The Patriots' 35 first-half points are the most allowed by a Raiders team in a first half since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
New England’s six TD drives net 360 yards on 38 plays in 15 minutes, 22 seconds. Overall, the Patriots gain 487 total yards and average a whopping 6.9 yards on 71 plays.
The Raiders' Sebastian Janikowski has an extra-point attempt blocked during the third period, only his third missed PAT in 291 attempts during his nine-year career.
THEY SAID IT:
Patriots RB LaMont Jordan
"It feels good to come out here, especially here for me personally where the coaches didn't want me here, and even when I wore the uniform a lot of fans were booing me, saying, 'Get out of our city.' So, to be able to come back here and pick up this victory and score a long touchdown - I thought they said I had no more speed - it definitely feels great."
"We just got our tails kicked."
Raiders coach Tom Cable
By THE NUMBERS:
3-11: Raiders win-loss record in starts by QB JaMarcus Russell the past two seasons.
22: Patriots wins in 24 regular-season games in the month of December since 2003, equaling Oakland’s total wins over the same juncture.
277: New England rushing yards, including 117 by Sammy Morris on 14 carries. It's the most rushing yards by the Patriots since 281 against Cincinnati in 1985.
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Patriots win only their second game against the Raiders in Oakland in eight career meetings. The then-Boston Patriots beat Oakland 35-21 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on Dec. 10, 1961.
New England is a touchdown shy of equaling the most points against the Raiders. The 1961 Houston Oilers and 1981 San Diego Chargers each scored 55 points against Oakland.
The Patriots' Randy Moss (81) shakes hands with
ex-teammate Justin Fargas (25) as Sam Williams (54) watches.
