Hotels for New England Patriots v Las Vegas Raiders

An AFC matchup between two franchises with a long playoff history, though this meeting falls early in the season when both rosters are still finding their form. Sunday crowds gather hours ahead for grilling, cornhole and catching up before the gates open. Division standings this early in the year rarely tell the full story, but a result here still carries weight for momentum heading into the winter stretch.

Boston joined the AFL as a charter member in 1960 as the Patriots, honouring the region's revolutionary war history, and the team took the New England name in 1971 to reflect its broader regional fanbase. The Patriots were a middling franchise for four decades until quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick built a dynasty from 2001 onward, winning six Super Bowls together, the most of any quarterback-coach pairing in NFL history.

Their partnership included an unlikely comeback from a 28-3 deficit to win Super Bowl LI. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough has been home throughout that era, and the Patriots' run remains the benchmark against which sustained NFL success is measured.

Home to the New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium sits at Patriot Place in Foxborough, a large retail and entertainment complex roughly midway between Boston and Providence. Shops, restaurants and a hotel wrap the stadium, making it a self-contained destination. MBTA commuter rail runs matchday trains from Boston's South Station directly to Foxborough, a genuine rarity for a suburban US stadium. Booking a room nearby or in Boston lets you ride the train in and enjoy the Patriot Place complex before and after.