What a difference a year makes.
Pete Carroll’s new-look Las Vegas Raiders played with poise, precision and aggressive confidence on Sunday, dominating the New England Patriots in the second half en route to a season-opening 20-13 win in rainy Foxborough, Mass.
After trailing 10-7 at halftime, the Raiders outscored New England 13-3 in the second half while allowing just 137 net yards after the break.
Quarterback Geno Smith put together a largely masterful performance–save for an ill-advised interception in the second quarter. Smith completed 24 of his 34 pass attempts for 362 yards and a touchdown.
Carroll wasn’t afraid to let his quarterback sling it the way he did back in Seattle. Smith matched a career-high with nine passes for over 20+ yards, and his 362 yards through the air were the most ever for a quarterback in their Raiders debut, per Raiders PR. In addition, Smith was the league’s leading passer through the 1 p.m. slate by 44 yards over Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Pass Rush Back
Maxx Crosby looked every bit of his old self on the defensive side and the pass rush showed a renewed sense of purpose with Malcolm Koonce back healthy. Crosby and Koonce combined for ten pressures, each registering a sack, while Koonce also forced a fumble. Devin White led the Raiders with 11 tackles in a resurgent performance, while emerging cornerback Kyu Blu-Kelly trailed only slightly behind with nine. Tyree Wilson, who appeared poised for a breakout season in camp, also recorded a sack. As did Las Vegas native and Bishop Gorman native Jonah Laulu. A third-quarter interception by safety Isaiah Pola-Mao added to a statement performance from the Raiders’ defense, which played like a much more disciplined and mature unit than they did with many of the same players last season.
Rookie Debuts and Other Standouts
Rookie running back and No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty never really found a rhythm in terms of consistent yardage, but he did rush for his first career NFL touchdown in the third quarter. Jeanty finished with 38 yards on 19 attempts (2.0 yards per carry), with 25 of those yards coming on his first five carries in the first quarter.
Rookie receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. showed a bit more promise. The home-run threat caught two passes for 45 yards, but one of those grabs was a game-sealing sliding catch late in the fourth quarter that got plenty of love on social media.
AIR IT OUT 😮💨 #LVvsNE | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/oL3Y0PBxSg
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 7, 2025
Staying Professional
Jakobi Meyers may have requested a trade a few weeks back, but his performance showed that his ability to keep it strictly business is top-notch. Meyers recorded eight grabs for 97 yards and was Geno Smith’s most targeted receiver in what was a pretty spread-out distribution.
Meyers made it clear in the week leading up that his situation wasn’t resolved and he wasn’t thrilled about it, but you would have never guessed that by watching the game on Sunday.
Second-year star tight end Brock Bowers added 103 yards on five receptions, but left the game in the second half with a minor leg injury.
The Raiders outgained New England 389 to 336 in total, as both teams struggled to establish the run. As much hype as Drake Maye received this offseason, his youth was perhaps more apparent than usual when it was in direct contrast to one of the league’s wiliest veterans in Geno Smith. Smith’s arm talent still proved to be a tier above his younger counterpart as well.