It's no secret that expectations were (and still are) high for the Patriots' 2025 season, with some even suggesting they could make a sneaky playoff run by year's end. That might be premature for most, and based on how they played against the Raiders in Week 1, they appear correct with that feeling.
But there is still plenty of room to grow for this young Patriots team, and it looks like they're in good hands with Mike Vrabel as the head coach. Their performance on Sunday was far from perfect and at times frustrating to watch, prompting numerous adverse reactions among Patriots fans, and for the most part, they are valid.
It's probably too early for doom and gloom, though, yet the feeling of a disappointing loss only gets worse when you hear comments like Pete Carroll's after the game. Although he didn't necessarily say anything controversial about the Patriots, it's what he had to say about Geno Smith that made New England's defensive effort look even worse.
Pete Carroll downplays Geno Smith's performance as if it was an easy day for the QB against the Patriots defense
Much like he did when he was the starter for the Seahawks last year, Smith torched the Patriots' defense, showing that he is among the top-10 quarterbacks in the league.
It was not an expected showing by the improved defense, with Harold Landry standing out most for his impressive pass rush abilities, but it wasn't enough to slow down Smith, who put on a masterclass yet again. And apparently, that's nothing special, according to Carroll, who basically downplayed his performance as nothing more than typical for the quarterback.
That's harsh to hear for a defense considering Smith's stat line was pretty phenomenal, and most other quarterbacks will (hopefully) not come close to replicating it against the Patriots this season.
“It wasn’t a statement game or anything like that. It’s just what he does.”#Raiders HC Pete Carroll on Geno Smith’s Las Vegas debut, throwing for 362 yards and a score with a 102.8 rating in a 20-13 win over NE. pic.twitter.com/ZjWGPOtprV
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) September 7, 2025
Making matters worse is knowing the defense allowed six plays of 20+ yards throughout the game, with four players averaging over 20 yards per reception by the end of the game. They made it look easy over a young Patriots secondary and a declining defensive line after the half.
If that was just a typical day for Smith and the Raiders, the Patriots might be in more trouble than anyone initially felt about the loss.
Their schedule might be considered among the easiest in the league, but the Raiders don't have any elite receivers to give the defense trouble, and yet they still struggled. That won't be the case with upcoming teams like the Dolphins, Steelers, and Bills, so this could be a first look at what's to come.
In an ideal world, they'll improve in Week 2, and there will be a noticeable shift with the return of cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He might be their saving grace, or it might not matter. It's too early to tell, but not too early to worry.