Game Rewind: The Patriots dominated the Raiders from start to finish en route to 33-8 win in Mexico City. The Patriots scored on their opening drive and never looked back.

Here are five thoughts on the Patriots dominant performance.

1. Strong Start: The Patriots took it to the Raiders from the opening kick off. Oakland picked up a first down on their first possession but did nothing again until the fourth quarter offensively. Conversely, the Patriots scored on their opening drive and never looked back in dominant performance. 

2. Defensive Dominance: The Patriots put together their sixth straight dominant performance limiting the Raiders to 346 yards of total offense and eight points. They only generated one turnover but overall, it was another dominant performance by a defense that is playing at a championship level.

3. Thomas the Great: Brady’s stat line; 30/37, 339 yards and 3 touchdown passes. What else needs to be said? Calling Brady great at this point is an understatement. I’ve run out of superlatives when it comes to him.

4. Do You Smell What Brandin is Cooking? Brandin Cooks had his best game as a Patriot catching 6 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was a 64 yard catch in third quarter. 

Cooks has provided the Patriots with the speed element they have lacked in recent years but he is also getting comfortable running short routes and underneath route. That makes this already dangerous Patriots offense even more lethal.

5. Keeping Pace: With the win, the Patriots were able to keep pace with the Steelers in the race for the number one seed in the AFC. At 8-2, both teams are eying a potential showdown week 15 in Pittsburgh.