Unexpected Pick: Former Coach Reveals Shocking Winner of Patriots-Raiders Showdown

Here we go—the New England Patriots are kicking off what feels like a brand-new chapter under Mike Vrabel’s watchful eye in Foxboro, hosting the Las Vegas Raiders today as three-point favorites. But here’s the kicker: despite those odds, barely anyone’s betting on them to pull off a win. Why is that? Well, it’s a mix of fresh faces, hefty offseason moves, and a lingering shadow from the Belichick era’s twilight years that still has fans wondering if this newly minted roster is enough to climb back into Super Bowl contention—right out of the gate. Oh, and did I mention? Steve Mariucci, that old NFL wizard, is practically shouting, “Well, Pats, let’s go! Wooo!” as the only expert backing New England against Pete Carroll’s Raiders. So, can this revamped Patriots squad shake off the past and turn skeptics into believers, or is this just another halftime show before the real game begins? Stick around—this opening act might just surprise us all.

The New England Patriots are about to begin a new era today.

It’s the dawn of the Mike Vrabel era in Foxboro.

They will host the Las Vegas Raiders as three-point home favorites, but not many people seem to like their chances in the season opener.

If anything, former NFL coach Steve Mariucci is the only expert on the NFL Network choosing them to get the job done against Pete Carroll’s team.

“Well, Pats, let’s go! Wooo!” Mariucci said.

.@stevemariucci is the only @NFLGameDay panelist going with the Patriots to get the win over the Raiders today pic.twitter.com/vdHsan12fb

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 7, 2025

The Patriots went on a spending spree in the offseason, addressing multiple areas of need with some big moves.

They also added plenty of much-needed talent in the NFL Draft.

They will field a much more talented and competitive team than they had in the latter days of the Bill Belichick era, and it was clear that they needed some fresh eyes and decision-makers to dig them out of the hole they had dug themselves into.

Even so, that still might not be enough to return to Super Bowl contention, at least not this early.

Their first challenge of the new season will come against a team that also made some major moves in the offseason, and given Pete Carroll’s pedigree, it’s easy to understand why so many people seem to be higher on the Raiders ahead of the season debut.

But even if they don’t get the job done in Week 1 or don’t return to the playoffs at all this season, this team is clearly trending in the right direction after some dark years.

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