Well, well, well, look who got their big boy pants. The Las Vegas Raiders rolled into Gillette Stadium, stared a halftime deficit right in the face, and then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of eleven straight prior second-half collapses, snatched a 20-13 victory from the New England Patriots.
And this wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. A statement that says: This isn’t the same old Raiders anymore.
Sure, it wasn’t perfect. We saw some ugly moments, some missed opportunities, and a few head-scratchers that made you wonder if a ghost of Raiders past was still haunting the sidelines. But what we also saw was the undeniable, transformative power of an actual Hall of Fame coach at the helm, and a top-line quarterback who knows how to lead a team from behind.
The Old Man Pete Carroll is Showing He’s Still Got It
Let’s start with the man himself: Pete Carroll. The dude is literally making history, becoming the oldest head coach in NFL history when that game kicked off, and then, just a few hours later, becoming the oldest coach to win a game.
In his first outing with the Silver and Black, Carroll engineered a triumph that wasn’t just about the Xs and Os, but also about culture, belief, and, dare I say, adjustments. It was Carroll’s first NFL win with a franchise other than the Seattle Seahawks since 1999. His quest to revive this franchise, which has been in a tumultuous state since relocating to Las Vegas, is already moving in the right direction.
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The Geno Smith Settles the Offense
And then there’s Geno Smith, the gunslinger who arrived in Vegas via a trade from the Seahawks this offseason. Talk about making an impressive debut. Smith opened his Raiders stint with a bang, throwing for a whopping 362 yards and a touchdown, completing 24 of 34 passes (that’s a 70.6% completion rate). Yeah, he had a big mistake in the first quarter, an interception trying to thread the needle to Brock Bowers in triple coverage, which led to the Patriots’ only touchdown of the day. But what did he do? He shook it off. This isn’t a quarterback who lets one error define his game. He’s no Gardner Minshew.
In the crucial second half, with the Raiders trailing 10-7 at the break, Smith became the maestro of the comeback. After Isaiah Pola-Mao snatched an interception from Drake Maye, Smith immediately went to work, hitting Jakobi Meyers for back-to-back passes of 23 and 19 yards, setting up rookie Ashton Jeanty’s first NFL touchdown. Later, he delivered a 36-yard bomb to rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr. late in the fourth quarter that helped seal the win. That’s the kind of clutch playmaking you expect from a true leader, a quarterback who keeps his cool and delivers when it matters most. He connected with Jakobi Meyers eight times for 97 yards and with tight end Brock Bowers five times for 103 yards, showcasing a deep connection with his receiving corps.
Raiders’ New Staff Shows Why Coaching Matters
Now, let’s talk about those second-half adjustments. Both offensively and defensively, the Raiders coaching staff learned from what wasn’t working in the first half and changed their tactics in the second half. The Raiders, who were down 10-7 at halftime, outscored the Patriots a dominant 13-3 in the final two quarters. This team, which previously couldn’t buy a comeback, broke an 11-game skid of losing games when down at halftime. That’s not a coincidence, folks. That’s coaching.
On offense, the flow changed. Instead of stalling, Smith’s precision passing and willingness to take shots, like that late bomb to Thornton, opened things up. While offensive coordinator Chip Kelly scripted the opening drive to perfection, the offense was seemingly stuck in the mud the remainder of the first half. But in the second half, Kelly’s offense clearly adapted to exploit the Patriots’ weaknesses.
Defensively, it was a masterclass in stifling an opponent. The Patriots’ offense never found its footing after the break. Drake Maye, after his early interception, saw his team punt on their next four possessions. The Raiders’ defense woke up, with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce providing crucial sacks. Crosby’s pressure even forced Maye’s interception. New England was a dismal 4-of-14 on third down, a testament to how effectively the Raiders’ defense locked them down. They allowed a mere three points in the entire second half. That, my friends, is a defensive unit that adjusted, adapted, and dominated.
A Big Win, But It’s a Long Season Ahead for the Raiders
Now, let’s be real. This Raiders team is far from perfect. I picked them to win eight games in 2025, and I’m sticking to that prediction. But some questions haven’t been answered.
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty scored his first NFL touchdown, which is fantastic, but he struggled to find daylight, finishing with just 38 yards on 19 carries. And we can’t ignore the injuries: tight end Brock Bowers, who had a massive day with 103 yards on five catches, had to leave the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury, though he later said he was fine. Linebacker Elandon Roberts also exited with an elbow injury. These are concerns on a team that is paper-thin on defense and reliant on their Superman Bowers, despite other strong offensive weapons.
And yes, the AFC is a brutal gauntlet. This team, coming off a 4-13 season and having not won a playoff game since 2002, still has a long, tough road ahead to prove they can consistently compete with the conference’s elite. I’m not ready to crown them Super Bowl contenders after one game.
Yet it would be crazy not to recognize this isn’t the same old Raiders. The resilience, the second-half dominance, the clutch plays from their quarterback, and the veteran leadership of Pete Carroll, who celebrated the win in the locker room with his team, speak volumes. This was a road win against a team with a new head coach and in conditions that included heavy rain. To start a new era with such a victory, coming from behind, is the perfect start.
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to host the Chargers next week. It’s a new challenge, and we’ll see if they can maintain this momentum. But for now, one thing is clear: the Pete Carroll era has officially begun, and it’s brought a much-needed shot of grit and winning mentality to the Silver and Black.
