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FOXBORO -- For a long time there was an assumption that the Patriots would chew up all rookie quarterbacks and spit them back out wondering why they hadn't chosen different jobs out of college. But in recent years, that hasn't always been the case.
Just last season Bills rookie EJ Manuel guided the Bills as they took the Patriots to the wire in Week 1 -- a 23-21 win for New England. Jets rookie Geno Smith helped hand the Patriots their second loss in three games when he squeaked out a 30-27 overtime win at MetLife Stadium in Week 7.
When the Patriots square off against the Raiders and rookie signal-caller Derek Carr, they'll see a good athlete with a strong arm who's asked to make quick decisions. Will they see a quarterback in his first year who's easily rattled?
That's still an unknown, explained Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork. After two games, there's not much of a database from which one could decipher Carr's emotional fortitude.
"Everybody's different," Wilfork said. "Some rookies just have that chip where it don't take much to rattle them. Some have that chip where you can't rattle them."
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