The Las Vegas Raiders got off to a great start as they beat the New England Patriots 20-13 to kick off Pete Carroll's tenure. Fans were largely happy with the performance, as the defense exceeded even the most optimistic expectations, while Geno Smith erupted for 362 yards in his debut.
While the running game struggled to the tune of just 56 yards on 24 carries, Ashton Jeanty did find the end zone for his first career touchdown. The pass blocking also had some trouble early on, allowing four sacks, three of which came in the first half.
One offensive lineman who struggled, in particular, was Jackson Powers-Johnson. The right guard earned the lowest Pro Football Focus grade of any offensive player who played on Sunday, with Darnay Holmes being the only Raider on either side of the ball to earn a lower grade.
Jackson Powers-Johnson does nothing to prove Raiders brass wrong
The Raiders drafted Powers-Johnson 44th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he made 14 starts as a rookie. While he appeared to have a clear path to being Las Vegas' starting center in 2025, he was, arguably, the player most affected by the new brass's focus on competition this offseason.
Carroll made it clear that players would have to earn their jobs, and it quickly became evident that Powers-Johnson would not be the starting center. At points, there were questions of whether or not he would even start at all to begin the season.
However, he wound up being named the starting right guard. While fans questioned the decision all offseason, the coaching staff's lack of faith in the offensive lineman was supported by his Week 1 performance. Bleacher Report's Brett Sobleski also noted just how bad he played.
"As a unit, the Raiders' offensive line struggled to handle blitzes. The Patriots attacked Powers-Johnson early and often, and he whiffed on multiple blocks that resulted in sacks through the first half," Sobleski wrote. "The 2024 second-rounder also drew a flag for an ineligible man downfield, which the Patriots declined, and unnecessary roughness that forced the Raiders to punt on 4th-and-31 late in the second quarter. Fans wondered why the coaching staff moved Powers-Johnson from center to right guard, and they have an early answer. He needs to improve his ability to pick up the blitz and reduce penalties after committing 11 infractions last year."
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Raider Nation had hoped that Powers-Johnson would be able to prove the coaching staff wrong and solidify himself as a long-term building block on the offensive line. He was unable to do that in Week 1, however, as he struggled as both a pass blocker and a run blocker.
The Patriots' defensive line is incredibly stout, especially at the defensive tackle position, so this was a tough test for the young player and the team's moving pieces on the interior offensive line. But Powers-Johnson simply has to be better.
While fans are certainly hopeful that he can bounce back from his performance, it has become clear why the coaching staff forced him to earn his spot. If Powers-Johnson's play continues to struggle over the next few weeks, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Carroll turn to Alex Cappa.