Brady, Patriots ready to hit heights

After conquering Mile High Stadium, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are focused on scaling a new summit as the Super Bowl champions make their debut in the thin air of Mexico City on Sunday.

For the second season in a row, the National Football League is rolling south of the border with a regular season game in Mexico, with the Patriots taking on the Oakland Raiders at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

While the Raiders played in last season's game at the venue, defeating the Houston Texans, Sunday's fixture represents a first foray to Mexico for the Patriots, who routed Denver in a 41-16 road win on Sunday.

Bill Belichick's men remained in Colorado this week to prepare for another challenging game at altitude. The Azteca is 7,280 feet above sea level, a full 2,000 feet higher than the Broncos home venue.

The Patriots have spent the week training at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to help acclimatise to altitude before heading to Mexico City on the eve of Sunday's game.

Brady said spending the week in a virtual mid-season training camp could give the Patriots an edge as they aim to improve to 8-2 to tighten their grip at the top of the AFC East divisional standings.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to really just be out here together, no distractions except getting ready to play a game and that could be a real benefit for all of us if we take care of it," Brady said.

- 'He's the best' -

The Raiders meanwhile must find a way to contain a Patriots offense that is looking increasingly formidable just as their defense is starting to gel.

The Patriots' victory over the Broncos on Sunday was the fifth straight game where they restricted their opponents to 17 points or fewer.

Brady meanwhile threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions against Denver, helping him win his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

The 40-year-old five-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback now leads the NFL passing stats this season, with 2,807 yards, an average of 311 yards per game.

"He's the best," Raiders safety Reggie Nelson said when asked about the challenge of stifling Brady. "He's the best at what he does. Who's trying to argue that?"

While the Patriots once again appear to be the team to beat in the AFC, the NFC has been harder to call, with tight races in three of the four divisions led by teams with 7-2 records.

The Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) meanwhile will aim to all but extinguish the challenge of the Dallas Cowboys (5-4) in the NFC East when the two arch-rivals collide in Texas on Sunday.

- Goff v Keenum -

With the Eagles disappearing over the horizon in the divisional standings, the Cowboys must somehow conjure a victory in Arlington to remain in the hunt for a wildcard berth.

Dallas however head into the game after being pummelled by the Falcons in Atlanta last week, and will once again be without suspended running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Elsewhere in the NFC, former team-mates Jared Goff and Case Keenum will go head-to-head as the in-form Los Angeles Rams (7-2) travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Vikings (7-2).

Rams quarterback Goff was Keenum's understudy at the Rams in his rookie season last year before supplanting Keenum as starter mid-way through the season.

Keenum, 29, was signed as a back-up by the Vikings but has flourished since replacing injured starter Sam Bradford in week two.

Goff, the 2016 No.1 overall draft pick, is looking forward to squaring off against his former mentor Keenum.

"I shot him a text the other day and we're both excited for it," Goff said.

"He's been doing so well this year and as a guy, there's not a guy you could be more happy for."

Keenum was equally complimentary about Goff, who passed for a career-high 355 yards in Sunday's demolition of the Houston Texans. Goff leads the NFL this season with an average of 8.5 yards per pass attempt.

"He's a smart kid, man," Keenum said of Goff. "He's a fighter, too, because it wasn't easy last year.

"He got the crap knocked out of him a few times and got back up and can sling it. Obviously, everybody is seeing what he can do this year, but we've known for a long time he's a really good player."

source: AFP