Game Preview: Raiders at Patriots

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Game Preview: Raiders at Patriots

New England Patriots
02 Sep 2025, 23:24 GMT+

The Patriots host the Las Vegas Raiders to open the regular season at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, September 7 at 1 PM.

New England Patriots

WEEK 1

Sun 09/07

1:00 PM EDT

Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders

Patriots

New England Patriots

CBS / WBZ

98.5 FM The Sports Hub

GILLETTE STADIUM

GAME CENTER

WAYS TO WATCH

Presented by

PATRIOTS:Game Release (PDF)|Roster|Depth Chart|Stats

RAIDERS:Roster|Depth Chart|Stats| Roster Flip-Card (coming soon)

The New England Patriots will begin the Mike Vrabel era this Sunday when they host the Las Vegas Raiders in the season-opener at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are 3-0 against the Raiders on opening day with a 17-14 win at Oakland in 1964, a 20-6 win vs. Oakland in 1971 and a 30-20 win vs. Oakland in 2005. The Raiders are one of seven NFL teams that have never won a game at Gillette Stadium, as the Patriots are 3-0 against the Raiders in games played within the confines of Gillette Stadium.

SERIES HISTORY

The Patriots and Raiders will meet in the regular season in New England for the first time since a 36-20 New England win at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 27, 2020. The Patriots and Raiders will meet in the season opening game for the fourth time overall (1964, 1971 and 2005) and for the first time since a 30-20 victory at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 8, 2005.

The Patriots hold an 18-16-1 lead in the regular season against the Raiders. The teams have met three times in the playoffs, producing a memorable, classic encounter on each occasion. In 1976, the Patriots beat the Raiders, 48-17, in the regular season before losing a playoff game in Oakland, 24-21. The Patriots advanced to their first AFC Championship Game in 1985 after beating the Raiders, 27-20, in Los Angeles. In 2001, the Patriots beat Oakland, 16-13, in overtime in the last game ever played in Foxboro Stadium, en route to winning Super Bowl XXXVI.

The series between the two charter members of the American Football League dates back to 1960, the inaugural season for each club.

TALE OF THE TAPE

CONNECTIONS

FORMER PATRIOTS

Players

DT Adam Butler (2017-20)
WR Jakobi Meyers (2019-22)
G Atonio Mafi (2023)

Coaches & Execs

Pete Carroll (1997-99)
Andy Dickerson (2004-05)
Ty McKenzie (2009-10)
Patrick Graham (2009-15)
Bob Bicknell (2024)

FORMER RAIDERS

Players

T Thayer Munford Jr. (2022-24)
WR Mack Hollins (2022)
TE Austin Hooper (2023)
LB Robert Spillane (2023-24)
LB K'Lavon Chaisson (2024)

Coaches & Execs

Terrell Williams (2012-14)
Todd Downing (2015-17)
Josh McDaniels (2022-23)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

OPENING DAY OUTLOOK

The Patriots improved to a 36-29 record on opening day after a 16-10 win at Cincinnati on kickoff weekend last season. The Patriots will look to win back-to-back games on opening day for the first time since winning three straight from 2018 through the 2020 season. The Patriots are 23-15 in kickoff weekend at home, including 11-3 at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots have had three punt/kick returns for touchdowns on opening day. The last came in 2010 when Brandon Tate returned a kickoff for 97 yards vs. Cincinnati on Sept. 12, 2010 in a 38-24 Patriots win. Ellis Hobbs set a team record with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sept. 9, 2007 at the New York Jets, and the only punt return for a touchdown on opening day was Troy Brown with a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown on Sept. 3, 2000 vs. Tampa Bay.
The Patriots have 31 players on the 53-man roster that were not on the 53-man roster on opening day of the 2024 season. Of that group, DT Christian Barmore began the season on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, OL Ben Brown did not join the team until October, LB Marte Mapu began the year on injured reserve and FB Jack Westover joined the team in October.

ROOKIES IN THE STARTING LINEUP

Since 2000, the Patriots have had 29 rookies start on opening day. The Patriots could add to that total if any of the 2025 draft picks start this week. CB Christian Gonzalez (2023) and OL Mike Onwenu (2020) are current Patriots that started in their first NFL regular season game.

PATRIOTS DEFENSE ON OPENING DAY

The Patriots have had three players with 2 interceptions on opening day with the last being CB Terrell Buckley with two picks on Sept. 9, 2002 vs. Pittsburgh. The others were DB Ronnie Lippett on Sept. 9, 1990 vs. Miami and DB Dick Felt on Sept. 8, 1963 vs. the New York Jets.
The Patriots have had a player register 3 sacks in an opening day game three times, including one game with two players reaching 3 sacks. LB Don Blackmon recorded 3 sacks vs. Indianapolis on Sept. 7, 1986. Blackmon and LB Andre Tippett both recorded 3 sacks on opening day in 1985 vs. Green Bay on Sept. 8.
The Patriots have registered at least 3 interceptions in an opening day game six times, including a team-high 5 interceptions vs. the New York Jets on opening day of the 1963 season. The last time the team had at least 3 interceptions on opening day was in 2020 vs. Miami on Sept. 13 when Adrian Phillips, Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson all had an interception in a 21-11 Patriots win.
The Patriots have had a defensive touchdown on opening day five times in team history. On Sept. 13, 1987 vs. Miami, DB Ronnie Lippett returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown. On Aug. 31, 1997 vs. San Diego, S Willie Clay returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown. On Sept 12, 1999 at the N.Y. Jets, LB Willie McGinest recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. On Sept. 12, 2010 vs. Cincinnati, LB Gary Guy returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown and on Sept. 9, 2012 at Tennessee, LB Dont'a Hightower returned a fumble 6 yards for a touchdown.

OPENING DAY OFFENSIVE NOTES BY POSITION

QB: The Patriots, who have had a 300-yard passer on opening day 10 times, will be looking to have a 300-yard passer on opening day for the first time since the 2023 season when QB Mac Jones threw for 316 yards vs. Philadelphia on Sept. 10.
RB: The Patriots, who have had a player reach 100-yards rushing on opening day eight times after RB Rhamondre Stevenson gained 120 yards rushing in the 2024 season-opener at Cincinnati, will be looking to have back-to-back opening day games with a 100-yard rusher for the third time in team history.
WR: The Patriots have had a 100-yard receiver on opening day 21 times, including two games with two 100-yard receivers (2011 and 1986). The last time the Patriots had a 100-receiver on opening day was when TE Rob Gronkowski caught 7 passes for 123 yards vs. Houston on Sept. 9, 2018. The Patriots had two players reach 100-yards receiving in an opening day game two times Sept. 12, 2011 at Miami and Sept. 7, 1986 vs. Indianapolis.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TELEVISION:This week's game will be broadcast by CBS and can be seen locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4.Spero Dedeswill handle play-by-play duties withAdam Archuletaas the color analyst.Aditi Kinkhabwalawill provide analysis from the sidelines. The game will be produced byJason Rossand directed byMark Grant.

NATIONAL RADIO:This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience by Sports USA.Larry Kahnwill call the game withMarvin Lewisproviding analysis.

LOCAL RADIO:98.5 The Sports Hub is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 33 stations can befound here. The television broadcast will simulcast the game on the radio during the preseason.

For information on how to stream the game please check out our how towatch/listen guide.