Two Different Week 4 Answers
New England’s win over Buffalo meets a Raiders team that pushed Kansas City.
Updated October 7, 2026 · Raiders at Patriots
The Week 4 evidence
New England beat Buffalo 29–26 in Week 4. Las Vegas lost 30–27 to Kansas City. Both teams played tight games against strong opponents, but the different endings create distinct questions for Sunday’s meeting.
The Week 5 question
The Patriots can ask whether the composure that carried them through Buffalo holds when expectations change. The Raiders can ask how to turn a competitive performance into a complete result. Neither question is answered by simply repeating last week’s score. Possessions that begin after a turnover or a defensive stop may expose how each team handles the shift in momentum.
What close games do and do not prove
Both Week 4 games were decided by three points. New England finished ahead of Buffalo, 29–26, while Las Vegas finished behind Kansas City, 30–27. That is a useful common starting point, but the final margin cannot tell us whether either team controlled the middle of the game. A club can be competitive on the scoreboard while spending too many possessions trying to recover from a poor start.
The Patriots now face a different kind of challenge: can they sustain the habits from a notable win when the next game begins at zero? The Raiders have the inverse problem. The Kansas City result shows they could stay within reach, but staying close is not the same as directing a game. Watch whether Las Vegas can take advantage of a defensive stop by building a drive, rather than immediately returning possession.
Compare how the teams use the first possession after halftime and the first possession after a turnover, if one occurs. Those moments reveal how quickly each staff recognizes an opening. If New England can remain patient without waiting for a late rescue, its Buffalo performance looks more transferable. If Las Vegas repeatedly creates scoring chances but fails to finish them, the close loss may point to an issue that Week 5 has yet to solve.
What to watch
Look for the offense that can respond to a quiet stretch without abandoning its plan. Close-game experience is useful only when it leads to sharper decisions in the next one.