Raiders beat Patriots 20-13 as Carroll and Vrabel debut

The Las Vegas Raiders opened the 2025 NFL season with a 20-13 road victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The game, played at 1 p.m. Eastern and broadcast on CBS, delivered an early test for both clubs as they debuted new head coaches and roster overhauls ahead of a long season.

New England led or matched the Raiders through much of the first half but was undone by a mistake-filled second half, Patriots players and staff said. The Patriots were unable to convert opportunities into points after halftime, and Las Vegas tightened its defense and controlled key possessions to preserve the lead. Linebacker Robert Spillane, who signed with New England after spending time with Las Vegas, described the mood in the Patriots locker room afterward as realistic and forward-looking. "We do have a long road ahead of us. It is a brand new team, brand new year," Spillane said in a team-provided transcript. "This is one game. We have a big week ahead of us to bounce back."

Sunday marked a meeting of two new coaching regimes. Mike Vrabel made his New England debut after being hired to revive a Patriots team that is trying to improve on a 4-13 finish...