The New England Patriots defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, one week after a win over the Buffalo Bills, with Las Vegas playing as the visiting side.
Over back-to-back weeks, quarterback Drake Maye completed 26 of 34 pass attempts for 374 yards, threw four touchdown passes, and added a fifth score on the ground, with several completions arriving on routes down the field. The 45-point output and 536 yards of total offense represented New England's highest single-game totals in the regular season since 2021.
New England's defensive front generated persistent pressure on Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins throughout the game, with Cousins unable to find consistent protection from his offensive line. The 17 points Las Vegas put on the board marked the team's lowest offensive output of the season.
Offensive tackle Will Campbell, nursing a knee problem, and running back TreVeyon Henderson, dealing with an ankle issue, both exited the game before halftime and did not return.
With the Raiders trailing by a wide margin, quarterback Aidan Mendoza — selected first overall in the draft — took his first regular-season snaps after being sent onto the field. A quarterback run on fourth down inside the opposing red zone fell short and ended the possession. Across eight rushing attempts, Mendoza converted six into gains that combined for 48 total yards.
Two of Maye's wide receivers, A.J. Brown and Mack Hollins, were sidelined due to injury. Maye distributed the ball across five receivers who each recorded at least 40 receiving yards, a group that included Kyle Williams, Efton Chism, and DeMario Douglas. Downfield throws of 40 yards connected with Eli Raridon along the sideline and with Williams in the end zone.
A pass to Douglas in the end zone put the opening score on the board, with Maye delivering the throw from a clean pocket. Coverage on the Raiders' end broke down between assignments, leaving Douglas uncontested on the play.
Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard deployed a heavier blitz package, shifting the coverage burden onto the secondary. Corner Hezekiah Masses, in his first professional season, allowed two touchdown passes before being replaced by Darien Porter, who also encountered difficulty in coverage. Breakdowns in tackling by the Raiders gave New England's ground game room to operate at a level above what it had shown earlier in the contest.
A forced fumble appeared in Las Vegas's stat line for the day. Running back Ashton Jeanty, who had produced a 102-yard performance in the season opener — a total no other running back has matched — entered Sunday's contest with a rushing average of 3.4 yards per attempt, placing him 40th among 48 qualified ball-carriers league-wide. He finished the afternoon with 27 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Jeanty had carried an uncertain injury designation heading into the game due to two lower-leg complaints, one at the ankle and one at the foot.
Cornerback Stukes turned in a performance below any he had previously delivered at the professional level. On the offensive side, Caleb Lomu provides New England with an option at left tackle, though the roster carries limited depth at that position beyond him. With Henderson unavailable, Corey Kiner is positioned to take on a carrying role behind Rhamondre Stevenson. On his opening carry of Sunday's game, Kiner lost possession of the ball.
Mendoza completed six of eight pass attempts for 48 yards in his first professional appearance. On his second career throw, he worked through his progressions to move the chains on third down, then found Tre Tucker open for a 16-yard gain. A checkdown pass to running back Dylan Laube followed after the quarterback evaded defensive pressure. Pressure on back-to-back third- and fourth-down plays brought the possession to a halt, with Mendoza's fourth-down run falling short of the conversion marker by approximately one yard.
