Tonight’s NFL game

Time: 6 p.m. PDT (ABC)

Line: Patriots by 7 1/2 .

Last meeting: Raiders won, 27-20, at Oakland on Nov. 17, 2002.

Key stat: Pats have won 20 straight regular-season and playoff home games.

Players to watch: New England quarterback Tom Brady, who throws two TD passes for every interception. The newest Raiders star, receiver Randy Moss, who has averaged 13 TD catches in his seven seasons.

The buzz: Patriots open defense of Super Bowl title on Thursday night again. The best way to keep the ball away from Moss is to let Corey Dillon, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry a year ago, pound away.

–Chicago Tribune