Week 1 is just about wrapped up in the NFL, and there have already been plenty of interesting storylines to emerge.
However, one of the most impressive storylines involves Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders. A Week 1 matchup for the Raiders against the New England Patriots was Carroll's first game as the head coach of the team, and the legendary coach made NFL history.
Carroll's Raiders escaped Foxboro with a 20-13 win, and in doing so, Carroll became the first coach in NFL history win his debut game with four different franchises. Carroll did so with the Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Patriots, and New York Jets.
Carroll's first win with the Jets came in 1994, while his first win with the Patriots came in 1997, and his first win with the Seahawks came in 2010. In between Carroll's stints with the Patriots and the Seahawks, the coach had successful stint as the head coach of the USC Trojans in college football. Carroll led the Trojans to back-to-back national championships and four Rose Bowl wins.
It's just another feather in the cap of one of the most legendary football coaches of this generation. The Sunday win was incredibly impressive as well, as not many had the Raiders pulling off the upset on their Bingo cards.
The first half of the game wasn't the smoothest for the Raiders. The team trailed the Patriots 10-7 at the half, and the offense failed to gain any consistent rhythm, especially on the ground.
However, in the second half, the Raider defense stepped up, holding the Patriots scoreless in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Ashton Jeanty found the end zone and Daniel Carlson connected on 51-yard field goal in the third to make it a 17-10 Raider lead heading into the fourth.
Both teams added a field goal in the fourth and the Raiders escaped with the 7-point win. Of course, there are plenty of things to clean up, but it's hard to not be excited about Carroll's opener.
The Raiders had an abysmal 2024 season, finishing with a 4-13 record. As a result, the team cleaned house, getting a new quarterback, general manager, and coaching staff. Carroll took the 2024 season off from coaching, but Vegas seemed like a perfect landing spot for the veteran as the team sought to rebuild its culture.
It's just one game, but it certainly seems like Carroll is making an impact. The team won't have an easy road, though, as games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders are next on the docket.