The Las Vegas Raiders had a difficult test in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, as they traveled to the East Coast to take on the New England Patriots. Fortunately, despite a few rough patches, the Raiders were able to pull out a 20-13 victory at Gillette Stadium.
This was a strong start to the Pete Carroll and John Spytek era for the Silver and Black, but the team still has boatloads to improve upon. For now, however, it is important to enjoy the win because they are hard to come by in this league.
In a win, there is typically more good than bad, and that was certainly the case on Sunday. Here are seven winners and three losers from the Raiders' 2025 season debut.
Raiders' winners and losers from Week 1 win against Patriots
Winners
1. Raiders' coaching staff
Las Vegas came out like gangbusters, but they quickly faltered and fell back into their old ways. Until the coaching staff made halftime adjustments and outscored the Patriots 13-3 in the last two quarters. Carroll helped clean up the penalties, Kelly made adjustments and stayed aggressive on offense, and Graham dialed up some pressure and made life hard on the New England offense.
2. Geno Smith, QB
Smith made a handful of risky throws on Sunday, but overall, he absolutely balled out in his Raiders debut. He completed 24-of-34 passes for 362 yards and a touchdown, adding two carries for 10 yards on the ground. Smith did this all despite poor weather conditions and bad offensive line play.
3. Devin White, LB
White took a lot of heat this offseason, from us included. But he played his best football since coming to Las Vegas on Sunday. Not only did he record 11 tackles, eight of which were solo and one of which was for a loss, but he also gave up just two completions on five targets for 14 yards, recording a pass deflection and allowing a QBR of only 47.9, according to Tristen Kuhn.
4. Pass-catching group
There were some question marks surrounding this group outside of Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, but truly, everyone stepped up. Tre Tucker kicked off the season with a huge touchdown, Dont'e Thornton Jr. made a pivotal catch, and both Bowers and Meyers had their typical high-level production. Jack Bech got in on the fun with a 23-yard snag, and Michael Mayer had flashes, too.
5. Maxx Crosby and the defensive line
Crosby was the obvious ringleader and the center of the Patriots' attention on Sunday, but the entire defensive line went to work. Crosby, Thomas Booker IV and Adam Butler all recorded five pressures or more, and Crosby, Jonah Laulu, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson each recorded a sack. Koonce forced a fumble, and the unit batted down some passes and were stout against the run as well.
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6. Isaiah Pola-Mao, S
Pola-Mao was incredible against New England on Sunday. Not only did he record seven tackles, five of which were solo and one of which was for a loss, but he also recorded an interception and a pass defended. Pola-Mao was targeted just three times, giving up one catch for -1 yard and relinquishing a QBR of just 2.8, which is shocking because the league average is 90.0
7. Kyu Blu Kelly
Kelly got the start opposite Eric Stokes, and although he went through some growing pains, it feels like he deserves to be on this list. In addition to a bogus pass interference call, he gave up six completions for 68 yards on eight targets, which is an opposing QBR of 99.5. But he also had a nice pass breakup, nine tackles and a heads-up play when Drake Maye ran with the ball after a deflection.
Losers
1. Run-blocking
Las Vegas simply needs to find a way to give Ashton Jeanty more running lanes. The rookie running back had the second-lowest yards before contact per carry and he mustered just 38 yards on 19 carries. The offense, as a whole, totaled just 56 yards on the ground on 2.3 yards per rush. Granted, New England has a great defensive front, but Sunday's effort was far below the standard.
2. Jackson Powers-Johnson
Powers-Johnson, in particular, struggled on Sunday. He had a difficult offseason, having to battle for and eventually losing a job that was rightfully his, but he did not look like himself in Week 1. He misdiagnosed a series of stunts and blitzes that hurt the Raiders' offense, and he had an inexcusable personal foul that seemed like it came from frustration.
It was not all bad, as Jeanty did have his most success in the run game behind Powers-Johnson and scored a touchdown. He should have no issues bouncing back.
3. Dylan Parham
Parham was uncharacteristically bad as well against the Patriots, getting flagged several times and giving up a team-high five pressures in addition to a quarterback hit. Once again, New England is stout up front, especially at defensive tackle, but things won't get any easier as the season progresses. Parham needs to find the level he was at last year and replicate it, but he should be fine as well.