The Pete Carroll era in Las Vegas started off on a high note after the Raiders notched a 20-13 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
While the offense certainly needs to be better, quarterback Geno Smith still threw for 362 yards and one touchdown to one interception in his Raiders debut, quickly showing that things should be improved under center for Las Vegas in 2025.
“Geno had a regular game today,” Carroll said. “I don’t think it was a statement game or anything like that; I just think it was what he does.”
The Raiders really shined on defense, where the unit limited the Patriots to just 13 points and 60 rushing yards on 18 attempts. Quarterback Drake Maye threw for 287 yards, but he was also sacked four times and threw an interception.
Deservedly so, the Raiders are universally moving up in the NFL power rankings of experts going into Week 2. Here's where they stand.
Raiders move up NFL power rankings
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 18 (+3)
Iyer: "The Raiders got Geno Smith to stabilize their offense and maximize passing to Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, with a big assist from rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. So far, so good for the ideal winning formula under Chip Kelly and Pete Carroll."
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut: 23 (+2)
Johnson: "With the Patriots bottling up Ashton Jeanty in Week 1, quarterback Geno Smith showed how much of a difference it makes for the Las Vegas Raiders offense to have a reliable signal-caller. Smith isn’t the perfect quarterback; his 4 sacks and 1 interception highlight his tendency to make a few negative plays. However, he handled the blitz well (9-for-13, 189 yards and 1 TD) and really took advantage of Chip Kelly’s open passing game. Set to host their home opener in Week 2, Las Vegas could surprise the Los Angeles Chargers."
Taylor Wirth, NBC Sports: 22 (+1)
Wirth: "Geno Smith is a good quarterback. Brock Bowers is a great tight end. Jakobi Meyers is a good receiver. Ashton Jeanty? The jury's still out. For now."
Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic: 22 (+3)
Cluff: "Geno Smith was 24-for-34 in his Las Vegas debut for 362 yards, with one TD and one INT. Ashton Jeanty rushed 19 times for 38 yards and a score. The Raiders could win quite a few games ugly."
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