The Patriots dropped their season opener to the Las Vegas Raiders, 20–13. After a strong second quarter, New England couldn’t carry its momentum into the second half and failed to put a single point on the board after halftime.
It was a rocky performance on both sides of the ball and an underwhelming debut for Vrabel’s Patriots. The offense stalled and went 4/14 on third down, the run game never found rhythm, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye struggled with accuracy down the stretch.
Here are my studs and duds from Week 1:
Studs
LB Harold Landry
Signed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal with $26 million guaranteed this offseason, Harold Landry joined New England in part to reunite with Mike Vrabel. The 29-year-old is coming off a nine-sack season in 2024 and wasted no time making an impact. In his Patriots debut, Landry recorded 1.5 sacks, four tackles, and three quarterback hits.
The Patriots finished last in the league in sacks a year ago, but with four in Week 1, their pass rush already looks improved.
WR Kayshon Boutte
Kayshon Boutte quickly became Drake Maye’s go-to target, hauling in six of eight passes for 103 yards and multiple drive-saving first downs. His ability to keep the chains moving was one of the few bright spots for New England’s offense — and it marked just the second 100-yard game of his career.
CB Carlton Davis III
The Patriots invested heavily in Carlton Davis III this offseason, handing him a three-year, $60 million contract. With Christian Gonzalez sidelined by a hamstring injury, Davis stepped into the spotlight and delivered. He broke up two passes, including one that tipped into the hands of Jaylinn Hawkins for an interception, setting the tone in the secondary.
Duds
The Run Game
New England rotated TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, but neither could get much going. Stevenson managed just 15 yards on seven carries (2.1 YPC), while Henderson had 27 yards on five attempts (5.4 YPC). The offensive line didn’t create many lanes, and in rainy conditions where the run game could have been an advantage, the Patriots failed to capitalize. Expect run blocking to be a point of emphasis in practice this week.
WR DeMario Douglas
DeMario Douglas was Maye’s favorite target during training camp, but the connection didn’t translate in Week 1. Maye targeted Douglas six times in the first half, but he caught just two passes, including a costly drop on second down. He finished with -2 yards, though he did haul in a three-yard touchdown, the Patriots’ only TD of the day. Douglas, who posted 66 catches on 87 targets last season, is expected to take another step forward in 2025, but his opener was a stumble out of the gate.
P Bryce Baringer
After ranking as one of New England’s more consistent players in 2024, Bryce Baringer had a poor outing against Las Vegas. In the fourth quarter, with the Patriots desperate to flip field position, he shanked a 21-yard punt out of bounds — a costly mistake in a tight game.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
