The New England Patriots begin a new chapter Sunday when they host the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium, marking the first game under head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Quarterback Drake Maye enters his second season with high expectations after a rocky rookie campaign. This time, he has more help: the Patriots added star wideout Stefon Diggs, veteran Mack Hollins, and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson to spark an offense that finished near the bottom of the league last year. Their debut will be tested immediately against one of the NFL’s most disruptive pass rushers.
Defensively, new coordinator Terrell Williams faces the challenge of limiting one of the league’s premier tight ends while keeping Henderson contained in space.
The Patriots are aiming for back-to-back season-opening wins for the first time since 2020, after beating Cincinnati last year. They are 23-15 all-time in home openers, including 11-3 at Gillette Stadium.
History leans New England’s way. The Patriots are 18-16-1 against the Raiders and 3-0 in season openers against them, most recently a 30-20 victory in 2005. The Raiders have never won at Gillette Stadium, where New England holds a perfect 3-0 mark in the matchup.
Both teams finished 4-13 in 2024 and are looking for a reset. Las Vegas flashed a top-10 passing game but struggled on the ground, while New England ranked near the bottom in most offensive categories. Vrabel and McDaniels hope to flip that script and start strong in front of a home crowd eager for a turnaround.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Sunday in Foxborough.
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