The Chiefs held open the door for the Raiders with their stunning 12-9 upset overtime loss to the Giants earlier in the day. Oakland, though, closed the door in its own face.
The Raiders would have won the division by winning out. Instead, they laid an egg in Mexico City against the Patriots, losing 33-8 in a game that wasn’t that close.
As Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweeted late in the game, “The Raiders traveled to 7,200-plus feet altitude to hit rock bottom.”
Oakland, coming off its bye week, has lost six of eight to fall to 4-6.
The Patriots dominated from start to finish and led 30-0 before the Raiders finally got on the board. New England won the takeaway battle 2-0, with an interception and a critical fumble recovery before halftime, and had only two penalties for 10 yards in playing nearly mistake-free football.
Tom Brady completed 30 of 37 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns. Brandin Cooks caught six passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. His 64-yard touchdown only 54 seconds into the second half gave the Patriots breathing room, up 24-0.
The Patriots finished with 420 yards but ended up with more field goals than touchdowns.
Veteran kicker Stephen Gostkowski is a leading candidate for AFC special teams player of the week after making field goals of 62, 51, 40 and 29 yards. His 62-yarder, on the final play of the first half, set a team record. It broke his own mark of 58 yards set earlier this season and had plenty of extra yards on it.
Derek Carr completed 28 of 49 passes for 237 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Marshawn Lynch had 11 carries for 67 yards.