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Patriots’ collective effort neutralizes Maxx Crosby, Raiders pass rush

The New England Patriots cruised to a 45-17 victory after an opening drive set the tone, highlighted by a 35-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye to DeMario Douglas. Maye enjoyed a remarkably clean pocket throughout the afternoon, facing a season-low pressure rate of 34 percent and taking just one sack.

This stout protection stood in stark contrast to New England's season opener in 2025 against the Las Vegas Raiders, where the young signal-caller was dropped four times. Star edge rusher Maxx Crosby proved particularly troublesome during that previous meeting with seven disruptions and a sack, but he was held to five pressures this time without bringing Maye down.

Morgan Moses, Hunter Henry, and teammates utilized a collaborative strategy featuring chips and extra protection to successfully nullify the formidable defensive threat. Moses noted that neutralizing such a dangerous pass rusher requires a total team effort spanning the entire offensive unit.

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