Raiders 20, Patriots 13

 

This was a confusing game for me. I kept trying to cheer for the Patriots, but the Raiders kept throwing the ball to former Georgia Bulldog Brock Bowers, who gained 103 yards on 5 receptions. Former Georgia Bulldog Zamir White got eight yards rushing on three carries. Former New England Patriot Jakobi Meyers (NC State) ran for 97 yards on eight carries. Meanwhile, who have I got on my side to cheer for - Drake Maye?  

Maye (North Carolina) threw for 287 yards on 30-for-46 passing, throwing for one TD and one interception. Kayshon Boutte (LSU) led all receivers with 103 yards. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) rushed for 27 yards and Rhamondre Stevenson (Oklahoma) for 15.  

The game started promisingly enough. The Raiders scored first, but New England's Jaylinn Hawkins (Cal) intercepted Raiders QB Geno Smith (West Virginia) on his second drive, and New England drove the ball 78 yards for a two-yard Drake Maye TD to DeMario Douglas (Liberty). Tied game, and it felt like anything was possible.

"Anything" turned out to be not very much, just a pair of field goals for the whole rest of the game. 

So we start Week One with new head coach Mike Vrable (Ohio State) in a 0-1 hole. Season's young - we still have 16 more games to go in the NFL's 17-game season. 

Next week, we play the Miami Dolphins, who got their asses handed to then, 33-8, today, so we still have a chance. Not writing this team off after a single loss, but they've done little the past several years to give me much confidence, either.