Las Vegas Raiders Rally Past New England Patriots 20-13 in Season Opener

The Las Vegas Raiders walked into Foxborough on Sunday and did something that felt downright impossible just a few months ago—they looked like a competent football team. Behind Geno Smith’s stellar 362-yard performance and some clutch second-half adjustments, the Raiders stunned the Patriots 20-13 in what turned out to be a tale of two halves.

Pete Carroll’s first game as the Raiders’ head coach couldn’t have started much worse. After watching his defense get carved up on the opening drive, you could almost see the “here we go again” look creeping across his face on the sideline. But credit where it’s due—this coaching staff made the kind of halftime adjustments that good teams make.

Geno Smith Shows Why the Raiders Believed in Him

The veteran quarterback looked nothing like the guy who spent years holding clipboards in Seattle. Smith dissected the Patriots’ defense with surgical precision, completing 24 of 34 passes while spreading the wealth among his receivers. The numbers tell the story, but watching him operate in the pocket told an even better one—this was a quarterback playing with confidence and purpose.

“Smith is absolutely dealing out there,” you could hear fans muttering in the stands as he connected on throw after throw in the second half. The former Jets castoff has found new life in Las Vegas, and Sunday’s performance suggested this might not be a fluke.

Raiders’ Defense Flips the Script After Halftime

Here’s where things got interesting. The Patriots rolled into the locker room at halftime feeling pretty good about themselves with a 10-7 lead. Drake Maye had orchestrated a beautiful 77-yard touchdown drive, hitting Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry for big gains before finding Pop Douglas in the end zone.

Then the Raiders’ defense remembered they had Maxx Crosby on their team. The pass rush that looked toothless in the first half suddenly turned into a wrecking crew. Maye, who had looked poised and confident early on, spent the entire second half running for his life. The pressure was relentless, leading to an interception and several near-misses that had Patriots fans holding their breath.

Ashton Jeanty Announces His Arrival

The rookie running back from Boise State wasted no time making his mark, punching in his first NFL touchdown and showing flashes of the explosive ability that made him a coveted prospect. Watching Jeanty run, you can see why the Raiders were so excited to get their hands on him—the kid has that rare combination of vision and burst that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep.

Patriots’ Second-Half Collapse Raises Questions

Mike Vrabel’s squad looked like it had things figured out through 30 minutes of play. Then they went out and laid an absolute egg in the second half, managing just three points while their offense sputtered to a halt. Maye finished with respectable numbers, 30 of 46 for 287 yards and a touchdown, but those second-half struggles have to be concerning. When the pocket collapsed, the second-year quarterback looked every bit like a player still learning how to handle NFL pressure.

The bright spot? Boutte looked like the receiver everyone hoped he’d become, hauling in six catches for 103 yards and consistently finding ways to get open.

Raiders’ Receiving Corps Steps Up

While Brock Bowers grabbed most of the headlines before leaving with a knee injury (five catches, 103 yards), it was former Patriot Jakobi Meyers who really twisted the knife. The veteran receiver torched his old team for eight catches and 97 yards, looking like he had something to prove against his former employers.

The emotional weight of that performance wasn’t lost on anyone watching. Meyers spent three productive seasons in New England before heading west, and Sunday felt like his way of saying “thanks for the memories, but I’m better off now.”

What This Means Moving Forward

For the Las Vegas Raiders, this win represents something bigger than just three points in the standings. It’s validation that Pete Carroll can still coach, that Smith can still play, and that maybe—just maybe—this franchise isn’t destined for another lost season.

The Patriots, meanwhile, have some soul-searching to do. The second-half collapse wasn’t just disappointing—it was concerning. When a team goes from looking competent to looking completely overwhelmed in the span of 15 minutes, that says something about mental toughness and coaching adjustments.

As both teams head into Week 2, the Raiders have momentum and confidence on their side. The Patriots? They’ve got questions to answer and improvements to make. In a league where perception often becomes reality, Sunday’s result might have shifted the narrative around both franchises more than anyone expected.