FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — After coming off a high-scoring win over the New York Jets, the New England Patriots will hit the west coast for a matchup against the 4-2 Los Angeles Chargers.
The Patriots are still looking for a signature win this season after beating the Jets twice and the Houston Texans, two of the worst teams in the NFL. The Chargers are coming off a bye week and lost their last game to the Baltimore Ravens 34-6 in Week 6.
After putting up 54 points a week ago, will Mac Jones get the green light to continue to push the ball downfield? Who will be the X-factor on both sides of the ball for New England? How will NewEngland's secondary fare against one of the best young quarterbacks in the league?
Mike D'Abate, the host of the Locked On: Patriots podcast, answers those questions and more during our weekly Patriots preview interview. D'Abate spent time covering the Chargers so he shares his thoughts on how both teams could come out of Sunday afternoon with a win.
Notable Games:
Week 10 vs. Cleveland
The hype around the Browns has been a consistent trend this preseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. give defensive coordinators a lot to game plan for if they're on their game. The storyline of this Browns team might be the defensive play, led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate Myles Garret. It will be another test for the Patriots in the middle of the season.
Week 12 vs. Tennessee
The Titans come to Gillette on Nov. 28 and will bring yet another impressive collection of offensive weapons. Running back Derrick Henry and wide receivers Julio Jones and A.J. Brown will give steady quarterback Ryan Tannehill enough weapons to return to the playoffs and give the Patriots defense all they can handle in week 12.
Weeks 13 & 16 against Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills are the betting favorite to win the AFC East. The team led by Josh Allen made it to the AFC Championship game last season and is expected to make it to that point again, if not advance to the Super Bowl. For that reason, beating Buffalo at least once would give New England a huge lift in its goal to reclaim the division throne or make the playoffs as a wildcard. Both teams will have plenty of time to prepare for their first meeting on Monday, Dec. 6. New England enters its bye week after the game and will see the Bills in Foxborough again the day after Christmas.
Week 18 @ Miami.
The Patriots' Achilles heel in recent memory has been playing on the road against the Dolphins. With a divisional race that is expected to be closer than years past between Miami, New England, and Buffalo, this season finale could give the Patriots a playoff spot with a win, or even clinch the division. Potentially.
Watch the full interview below: