Brady, Patriots ready to hit heights in Mexico
Take on the Oakland Raiders at the iconic Azteca Stadium
After conquering Mile High Stadium, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are focused on scaling a new summit as the Super Bowl champions make their debut in the thin air of Mexico City on Sunday.
For the second season in a row, the National Football League is rolling south of the border with a regular season game in Mexico, with the Patriots taking on the Oakland Raiders at the iconic Azteca Stadium.
While the Raiders played in last season’s game, defeating the Houston Texans, Sunday’s fixture represents a first foray to Mexico for the Patriots, who routed Denver in a 41-16 road win on November 12.
Bill Belichick’s men remained in Colorado this week to prepare for another challenging game at altitude. The Azteca is 2,219 meters above sea level, 600 meters higher than the Broncos home venue.
The Patriots have spent the week training at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to help acclimatize to altitude before heading to Mexico City on the eve of Sunday’s game.
Brady said spending the week in a virtual mid-season training camp could give the Patriots an edge as they aim to improve to 8-2 to tighten their grip at the top of the AFC East divisional standings.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for us to really just be out here together, no distractions except getting ready to play a game and that could be a real benefit for all of us if we take care of it,” Brady said.
The Raiders meanwhile must find a way to contain a Patriots offense that is looking increasingly formidable just as their defense is starting to gel.
The Patriots’ victory over the Broncos on Sunday was the fifth straight game where they restricted their opponents to 17 points or fewer.
Brady meanwhile threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions against Denver, helping him win his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
The 40-year-old five-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback now leads the NFL passing stats this season, with 2,807 yards, an average of 311 yards per game.
“He’s the best,” Raiders safety Reggie Nelson said when asked about the challenge of stifling Brady. “He’s the best at what he does. Who’s trying to argue that?”
While the Patriots once again appear to be the team to beat in the AFC, the NFC has been harder to call, with tight races in three of the four divisions led by teams with 7-2 records.
The Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) meanwhile will aim to all but extinguish the challenge of the Dallas Cowboys (5-4) in the NFC East when the two arch-rivals collide in Texas on Sunday.