How Raiders handle Mexico City’s thin air will be key against Patriots

Opponent: vs. New England Patriots in Mexico City

Time: 1:25 p.m.

Line: Patriots by 6 1/2

Records: Raiders 4-5, Dolphins 7-2

TV/radio: Ch. 13 (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo), 1140

While the Raiders will follow the same plan they used last year and arrive the day before the game to limit their exposure to the thin air at 7,200-feet elevation, the Patriots spent the week getting used to it. After winning in Denver on Sunday night, the Patriots took a bus ride to Colorado Springs, Colo., where they spent the week practicing at the Air Force Academy, which is 6,621 feet above sea level. “We’re both facing that challenge,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. “It’ll be interesting, really, to look back and take some after-action review from the two experiences that we’ve had.”

The Raiders used a second-round draft pick this year on safety Obi Melifonwu with the hopes that his size and athleticism would make him the perfect player to match up with opposing tight ends. Melifonwu missed the first eight games with a leg injury and played only seven snaps on defense in his debut at Miami two weeks ago. He will be counted on this week to match up with the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski, who ranks second among tight ends with 583 yards receiving. “I feel like a lot of people try to out-physical him,” Melifonwu said. “Just play to your strengths. He’s a big, physical guy with strong hands. It definitely will be tough, but it’s a matchup that will be fun.”

The Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski has the leg to kick the ball through the end zone, especially in the thin air of Mexico City, but he often has been kicking short and letting the coverage team take over instead of giving the opponent the ball at the 25. New England’s opponents start their average drive after a kickoff at the 22, second-worst in the league, but the Raiders’ Cordarrelle Patterson leads the league with 30.8 yards per return. “If you kick it to me, I’m going to bring it out,” Patterson said. “It’s as simple as that. They’ve been having a great year pinning people down. It will be a great challenge for our team.”

The Associated Press

Dougbtful: CB David Amerson (foot)

Questionable: G Gabe Jackson (ankle), LB Cory James (knee), , T Marshall Newhouse (hip/quad), RB Jamize Olawale (hamstring)

Out: C David Andrews (illness), T Marcus Cannon (ankle), WR Chris Hogan (shoulder), WR Matthew Slater (hamstring)

Questionable: WR Danny Amendola (knee), TE Martellus Bennett (shoulder/hamstring), DT Malcom Brown (ankle), DE Cassius Marsh (shoulder), CB Eric Rowe (groin)

This story was originally published November 18, 2017 at 12:46 PM with the headline "How Raiders handle Mexico City’s thin air will be key against Patriots."