Devin McCourty

Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty made his weekly appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Friday morning, as the Patriots prepare for Sunday’s game against the Raiders in Oakland. To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

“This week is going to be big,” McCourty said. “We’re focused, we’re ready to go. Everybody’s going out there Sunday and competing.”

The Raiders are coming off a victory over the Jets, and they have shown signs that they could be a plus-.500 team for the first time in nine seasons. Their top attribute is their team speed.

“Their speed is all over the field, at every skill position. That team flies,” McCourty said. “They take the opportunity to make big plays by getting athletes the ball. You’ve got a quarterback, [Jason] Campbell, he’s an athlete, too. You have to be prepared all over the field because they have guys who can run, they’re very athletic. So, we have to be very disciplined.”

Running back Darren McFadden is off to a fast start in his fourth season in the NFL.

“He’s a tough guy to bring down,” McCourty said. “He runs hard, and then he’s the same way, he has that speed. When he does break out, he’s not a usual running back. You’re not going to catch him. So, you got to keep him contained.”

McCourty was under the microscope after being targeted repeatedly by the Bills in Sunday’s loss. Asked how he compares his game to last year, when he shined as a rookie, McCourty said: “I think it’s been the same. Even last year at this point, just trying to improve each week and trying to get better. A week from today I want to be better than I was last week.”