Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith was exceptional, throwing for 362 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly exploiting the Patriots secondary with nine completions of 20+ yards. Tight end was a force, tallying 103 receiving yards on five catches, while rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick, punched in a key third-quarter touchdown.
For New England, Maye finished 30-of-46 for 287 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but his performance waned after halftime. The Patriots managed just 127 yards in the second half, compared to 234 for the Raiders, as Vegas outscored New England 13-3 in the final two quarters. Maye’s struggles were compounded by a stifling Raiders zone defense, which forced him to settle for short gains and limited the Patriots’ explosive play opportunities. The interception by Isaiah Pola-Mao set up a critical scoring drive for Las Vegas and shifted momentum permanently.
New England’s revamped offensive line, featuring four new starters and two rookies, showed promise by allowing a 28.3% pressure rate but also committed three penalties and surrendered a crucial strip-sack. The running game failed to provide relief, as the Patriots averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and couldn’t capitalize on favorable field position generated by Antonio Gibson’s 41-yard kickoff return.
On the bright side, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte notched his second consecutive 100-yard game (six catches, 103 yards), and Diggs contributed six receptions for 57 yards in his Patriots debut, showing flashes of the route-running that made him a star in Buffalo. Tight end Hunter Henry also added 66 yards on four catches, and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson chipped in with 27 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards.
Defensively, safety stood out with both an interception (off a tipped pass by free agent signing Carlton Davis III) and a sack, while edge rusher Harold Landry III was a bright spot with 2.5 sacks and five pressures. The Patriots’ defensive line contained Jeanty to just 2.3 yards per carry, but the unit was repeatedly burned by Smith’s deep passing, especially when blitzing—Smith completed 9-of-13 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown against the blitz.
Special teams were a mixed bag: rookie kicker Andy Borregales rebounded from an early miss to hit two field goals, and punter Bryce Baringer struggled with a late-game 21-yard punt that hindered any comeback hopes.
Historically, the Patriots still lead the all-time series 18-16-1, dating back to their first meeting in 1960, but this latest chapter belongs to the Raiders and their new head coach Pete Carroll. For New England, the loss was a harsh reality check after an optimistic offseason. As Vrabel noted postgame, there’s “a long way to go”—but with emerging talents and new additions, the Patriots’ season is far from over.
For a complete breakdown of the game, including player stats and play-by-play analysis, visit the Game Observations: 8 Takeaways From the Patriots Season-Opening Loss to the Raiders and watch the Raiders at Patriots Full Highlights | NFL Week 1.