Week 1 of the NFL season has arrived, and it marks the start of the Mike Vrabel era for the New England Patriots. Vrabel’s team will kick off its 2025 season at home, hosting a Las Vegas Raiders team that has never won a game at Gillette Stadium.
Like the Patriots, that Raiders team is going to look different this year: led by quarterback Geno Smith and former New England and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, the club also is entering a new era. It also is a familiar matchup for Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who used to work as Las Vegas head coach for one and a half mostly underwhelming seasons.
Follow along with us live from Gillette Stadium down below.
Live Score: Patriots 7 : 7 Raiders
The Patriots won the toss and deferred, putting Geno Smith on the field first — where the veteran quarterback started with a 23-yard completion up the seam to star tight end Brock Bowers. Quickly working their way outside the red area, Vegas faced a third-and-11 after a false start where Smith found a wide open Tre Tucker in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. [Patriots 0 : 7 Raiders]
A 41-yard kickoff return by Antonio Gibson started the Patriots first offensive drive of the season just shy of midfield. Facing an immediate third-and-eight, Maye’s pass sailed over an open DeMario Douglas leading to a punt.
Backed up at their own five-yard line following the punt by Bryce Baringer, Vegas moved the chains once before a 24-yard catch-and-run by Jakobi Meyers overcame a previous sack by Harold Landry. Set-up with third-and-10, little pass rush allowed Smith to find rookie Jack Bech over midfield. Two plays later, Smith forced a late ball into Bowers which Carlton Davis tipped and Jaylinn Hawkins hauled in for the interception.
New England’s next drive picked up an initial first-down before Maye hit Hunter Henry down the right sideline for 27 yards to get things moving. A third-down completion to Kayshon Boutte then picked up another 24 yards before a play-action bootleg led to an open Austin Hooper to move New England inside the 10-yard line. Facing a third-and-three after Maye missed an open Douglas in the end zone, Maye went right back to the receiver with a perfectly placed throw for a touchdown. [Patriots 7 : 7 Raiders]
Following the touchdown, New England’s defensive kept the positive momentum going. Bringing extra rushers on third-and-eight, safety Jaylinn Hawkins got to Smith first to record the sack.