New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots will kick off their season against the Las Vegas Raiders from Foxborough on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Both teams are looking to bounce back from finishing 4-13 last season. Typically, NFL teams with a losing record try to add players from winning teams in the offseason to help change the culture, but New England went a different route.
During the offseason, the Patriots signed former Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane to a three-year, $33 million contract. Spillane played for Las Vegas the last two seasons, recording 306 combined tackles and 5.5 sacks in 34 games.
Given Spillane’s extensive experience playing with the Raiders, he was asked during his media availability on Monday what kind of challenges Las Vegas presents
“The Raiders are a tough team; they have playmakers all over the field. One of the best tight ends (Brock Bowers), receivers (Amari Cooper and Jakobi Meyers) and running back (Ashton Jeanty). It will be a great challenge for us as a defense,” Spillane said Via Vegas Sports Today.
The most crucial player Spillane didn’t mention was newly acquired two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith. The Raiders traded for Smith from the Seattle Seahawks to pair with former head coach Pete Caroll.
The Patriots will have their hands full this weekend, but Spillane should be able to get the defense organized, which is one of the reasons why he was named one of the team’s captains on Monday.
“It’s an honor to be named a captain,” Spillane told reporters about being named captain. “You don’t take these moments lightly. I pour my heart and soul into this, and to be recognized by teammates is everything to me.”
Spillane, a two-time captain with the Raiders, will now get to show off his new captain’s patch against his former team.
