The New England Patriots defeated The Oakland Raiders 30-20 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Both teams played each other close to the vest in the first half with New England taking a 17-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Raiders WR Randy Moss hauled in a 73-yard touchdown pass, and QB Kerry Collins surpassed the 30,000-yard career passing mark but it wasn't enough as two RB Corey Dillon touchdown runs paced the Patriots.

The Raiders won the coin toss and elected to receive. Rookie CB Chris Carr returned K Adam Vinatieri's opening kickoff to the Oakland 29. RB LaMont Jordan opened the game a 7-yard carry over the left side. QB Kerry Collins then hit WR Jerry Porter in the right flat for a 3-yard gain and a 1st down at the 39. Collins then hit WR Randy Moss down the left side for 29 yards to the Patriots 33. Collins then hit Jordan for a 28-yard pickup that set the Raiders with first and goal at the 4. After Jordan was stopped short, the Raiders faced 2nd and goal at the 2. Collins then hit TE Courtney Anderson in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. K Sebastian Janikowski's PAT gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead with 11:51 left in the first quarter. The TD grab capped off a 6-play, 72-yard drive that took 3:09 off the clock.

The Patriots came right back and moved deep into Raiders territory. On 3rd and goal at the Raiders 8, Brady's pass was too tall for WR David Givens. Vinatieri came on and hit from 26 yards out to cut the Raiders lead to 7-3 with 7:04 left in the 1st quarter.

Carr returned the ensuing kickoff to the Raiders 33-yard line. After an incomplete pass and a 7-yard Jordan run, the Raiders faced 3rd and 3 at their own 40. A defensive holding call gave the Raiders an automatic first down at their own 45. A few plays later the Raiders faced 3rd and 18 at their own 37. Collins deep throw down the right sideline for Moss was broken up.

P Shane Lechler's 58-yard punt was returned 27 yards by WR Tim Dwight out to the Patriots 32. Lechler has now had a punt travel at least 50 yards in 22 straight games. The Patriots moved deep into Raiders territory again. On 3rd and 8 at the 18, Patriots QB Tom Brady hit WR Deion Branch for an 18-yard touchdown to give New England a 10-7 lead with 2:05 left in the 1st quarter.

After a 27-yard Carr kickoff return to the 33, the Raiders moved out to their own 42. On 3rd and a long one, Jordan crashed over the right side for three yards and a first down at the 45. An illegal use of hand penalty gave the Raiders a first down at midfield. A few plays later, the Raiders faced 3rd and 11 at their own 49. Collins then hit Porter deep down the middle for a 27-yard gain to the New England 24. The Raiders were unable to pick up another first down. Janikowski missed from 43 yards out. The Patriots took over at their own 33 with 11:04 left in the 2nd quarter. A few plays later, the Patriots faced 3rd and 11 at their own 32. The Raiders defense held and the Patriots were forced to punt on 4th and 3. Carr fielded and returned P Josh Miller's 48-yard punt 15 yards to the Raiders 27.

Collins then went deep and hit Moss with a 73-yard touchdown strike. Janikowski's PAT put the Raiders up 14-10 with 8:52 left in the 2nd quarter. The Patriots moved deep into Raiders territory as the clock wound down in the 2nd quarter. On 2nd and goal at the Raiders 5, Brady hit Dwight for a touchdown that gave New England a 17-14 lead with 4:49 left in the first half.

Carr returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to the 32. Several plays later the Raiders faced 3rd and 13 at their 46. A delay of game penalty brought up 3rd and 18. After a short RB Zack Crockett run, the Raiders were forced to punt with 2:00 left in the half. WR Troy Brown called for and made a fair catch at his own 16.

After a short completion, a major face mask penalty gave the Patriots a first down at their own 35. A few plays later, the Raiders stopped the Patriots on 3rd and 3 and forced a punt. Carr muffed Miller's 48-yard punt out of bounds at the Raiders 11.

A pair of Jordan runs moved the Raiders out to the 27. After a false start penalty, Jordan pounded his way up the middle on the last play of the half.

RB Kevin Faulk returned Janikowski's second-half opening kickoff to the Patriots 32. After allowing one first down, the Raiders forced the Patriots to punt. Miller's punt was downed at the Raiders 4-yard line.

Jordan crashed over the right side for a pickup of 7. On 2nd and 3, Jordan gained a yard. On 3rd and 2, Moss dropped a pass in the flat forcing the Raiders to punt. Dwight returned Lechler's 55-yard punt seven yards to the New England 40.

The Raiders defense forced the Patriots into a three-and-out. CB Randall Gay downed Miller's 50-yard punt at the Raiders 4. Two plays later, the Raiders faced 3rd and 8. Collins pass intended for Moss fell incomplete. Dwight returned Lechler's 47-yard punt to the Raiders 45. A five-yard penalty on the Raiders moved the Patriots to the Raiders 40.

Two plays later, the Patriots faced 3rd and 5. The Raiders held Faulk short of the first down marker bringing up 4th and 1. The Raiders stuffed the play and took over on downs at their own 31 with 6:37 left in the 3rd quarter.

On 2nd down, Collins was hit and the ball popped into the air. DT Vince Wilfork intercepted the pass at the Raiders 20. Three plays later, RB Corey Dillon cashed in from 8 yards out to give New England a 23-14 lead with 5:05 left in the 3rd quarter. Langston Walker blocked the extra point.

A holding call on the ensuing kick return backed the Raiders up to their own 11. The Patriots held the Raiders to a three-and-out. Dwight's punt return was precipitated by and wiped out an illegal block in the back penalty. New England took over at their own 35.

Two plays later, the Patriots faced 3rd and 4. Brady's pass fell incomplete bringing on the punting unit. Carr fielded the 37-yard punt at his own 22 and was brought down immediately.

Crockett blasted his way over the left side for a 19-yard pickup to the 41. A holding penalty wiped out a nice Crockett run up the middle. Collins hit Moss for 6 yards, bringing up 2nd and 14. Collins was sacked by LB Mike Vrabel bringing up 3rd and 20. Collins' 3rd down pass for Crockett was incomplete. Dwight returned Lechler's punt to the New England 25. A 5-yard ineligible man downfield penalty wiped out the play. Safety Derrick Gibson downed Lechler's punt at the New England 26.

The Raiders defense held New England to a three-and-out. After a 39-yard Miller punt and a 16-yard pass to WR Alvis Whitted, a face mask penalty backed the Raiders up to their own 14. Moss hauled in a Collins' pass for an 18-yard gain to the 32. Collins then overthrew Whitted who was open deep. Whitted then grabbed a pass over the middle and picked up 22 to the New England 46. Collins tried to go deep to Whitted again, but the pass fell incomplete. A pass intended for Moss along the left sideline was broken up. On 3rd and 10, Collins pass fell incomplete. Lechler's punt was fair caught at the New England 11. An illegal motion penalty moved the Patriots out to their own 16. The Patriots mounted a scoring drive which was capped off by a 2-yard Dillon touchdown run. Vinatieri's PAT put New England up 30-14 with 9:29 left to play.

After Carr returned the ensuing kickoff, Collins hit Porter for a 17-yard pickup to the New England 46. Anderson then hauled in an 11-yard pass. After an incomplete pass for Porter, the Raiders faced 2nd and 10 at the New England 35. Collins then dumped the ball off to Jordan who broke a tackle and picked up 14 yards and a first down. Moss was unable to haul in a potential touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. An incomplete screen pass attempt resulted in an intentional grounding call. On 3rd and 22 at the Patriots 34, Collins' pass for Moss in the end zone was broken up. On 4th and 22, the Raiders were called for delay of game. Lechler's punt was downed at the New England 10 with 7:26 left to play.

Two plays later, the Patriots faced 3rd and 1. Dillon picked up the first down and kept the clock running. A defensive holding penalty gave New England a first down at their own 25. New England moved to the 49 before the Raiders forced a punt. TE Randal Williams blocked Miller's punt and DE/LB Tyler Brayton recovered it and returned it to the Patriots 21.

A pass interference call set the Raiders up at the 15. A few plays later, Collins hit Anderson for a 5-yard touchdown pass to cut New England's lead to 30-20. The two-point conversion attempt was no good.