By Tiffany Williams –
The Las Vegas Raiders brought a defense to Foxborough. Drake Maye spent Sunday afternoon making it look like a suggestion. The New England quarterback threw four touchdown passes, ran for another score and powered a 45–17 demolition at Gillette Stadium that became more lopsided with nearly every meaningful possession.
This was an offensive beating with numbers to match the bruises. New England piled up 536 net yards, produced 29 first downs and averaged 8.1 yards per offensive play. Las Vegas surrendered explosive passes, extended possessions with penalties and watched the Patriots score six touchdowns while punting only twice.
Drake Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards without an interception, finishing with a 150.9 passer rating. His touchdown throws covered 35 yards and eight yards to DeMario Douglas, 11 yards to Hunter Henry and 34 yards to Kyle Williams. A three-yard touchdown run completed his personal assault on the scoreboard.
The Raiders briefly made this a game when Kirk Cousins found Brock Bowers for a first-quarter touchdown. That tied the score at 7–7. New England answered with a touchdown drive lasting nearly seven minutes, reclaimed the lead and never surrendered it.
Las Vegas opened with the ball after New England deferred its choice following the coin toss. Ashton Jeanty gained four yards on the first offensive snap, but consecutive incomplete passes forced an immediate punt. The Raiders had barely unpacked before their defense was being asked to survive.
New England began at its own 21 and received an early boost when defensive pass interference erased an incomplete deep attempt to Romeo Doubs. The 24-yard penalty advanced the Patriots to their own 49. Drake Maye then connected with Romeo Doubs for 16 yards, putting the offense at the Las Vegas 35.
Two plays later, Drake Maye attacked down the right side and delivered a 35-yard touchdown pass to DeMario Douglas. Andres Borregales added the extra point for a 7–0 lead with 11:23 remaining in the first quarter. A roughness penalty against Maxx Crosby after the touchdown also moved the ensuing kickoff to midfield.
Las Vegas answered from its own 20 with its best early possession. Tre Tucker gained five yards on a run, Ashton Jeanty added three and Kirk Cousins converted third-and-two with a 24-yard completion to Brock Bowers. The Raiders were suddenly across midfield instead of trapped behind another punt.
Dylan Laube added five rushing yards before Kirk Cousins completed a 16-yard pass to the Las Vegas receiving corps. Defensive pass interference against Kevin Byard then moved the ball to the New England 13. Kirk Cousins found Brock Bowers for the touchdown, and Matt Gay tied the score with 8:19 left in the quarter.
That was the Raiders’ opportunity to establish resistance. Instead, the Patriots responded with an 11-play, 84-yard touchdown drive that exposed how difficult Las Vegas would find getting off the field. New England overcame its own mistakes because the Raiders could not consistently punish them.
A holding penalty on the kickoff return pushed New England back to its own 16. TreVeyon Henderson immediately gained 11 yards, and Drake Maye followed with a 17-yard completion to Efton Chism III. Another holding penalty later erased a promising completion, leaving the Patriots facing third-and-12.
Drake Maye scrambled for 10 yards to create fourth-and-two at the Las Vegas 48. New England kept the offense on the field, and Drake Maye completed a six-yard pass to DeMario Douglas. The gamble worked because the quarterback delivered, and the Raiders failed to stop a possession they had already helped complicate.
Another defensive pass-interference penalty on a throw toward Romeo Doubs supplied 27 yards. New England eventually faced fourth-and-three at the Las Vegas eight, and Drake Maye completed a seven-yard pass to Hunter Henry. Two fourth-down conversions on one possession left the Raiders defending their goal line.
A false start moved the Patriots from the one to the five. Rhamondre Stevenson handled the setback by running through the left side for a five-yard touchdown. New England led 14–7 with 1:30 remaining in the first quarter after a possession that consumed 6:49.
That drive mattered beyond the seven points. Las Vegas had opportunities to end it after a holding penalty, on fourth down near midfield and again on fourth down inside the 10. It failed each time, turning a potentially stabilizing defensive series into another touchdown.
The second quarter initially gave the Raiders a reprieve. New England drove into Las Vegas territory, including a third-and-11 completion to Efton Chism III followed by a lateral to TreVeyon Henderson that produced the necessary yardage. But intentional grounding eventually pushed the Patriots back and forced a punt.
Las Vegas then assembled a 10-play possession from its own 13. Kirk Cousins completed passes to Tre Tucker and repeatedly used Brock Bowers to move the chains, including gains of 18 and 14 yards. The drive reached the New England 35 before an incomplete pass, a rushing loss and a sack by Elijah Ponder killed it.
The Raiders received a much better opportunity moments later. Corey Kiner fumbled after a two-yard run, with Adam Butler forcing the ball loose and Las Vegas recovering at the New England 38. Trailing by only seven, the visitors had field position that demanded points.
They produced none. After moving to the New England 27, Las Vegas lost 11 yards on a Tre Tucker run, completed a seven-yard pass to Dylan Laube and failed on third down. Matt Gay’s 49-yard field-goal attempt struck the left upright with 1:52 remaining before halftime.
That empty possession became a 14-point separation in a hurry. Rhamondre Stevenson opened New England’s response with gains of seven and 20 yards. Even a three-yard sack could not prevent Drake Maye from putting the Raiders back on their heels.
Drake Maye found Hunter Henry for 26 yards to the Las Vegas 11, then returned to the tight end for an 11-yard touchdown. New England covered 61 yards in five plays and 1:28, taking a 21–7 lead with 24 seconds remaining in the half. Las Vegas had wasted a short field; New England had turned the next possession into punishment.
Elijah Ponder added another blow before intermission, sacking Kirk Cousins and forcing a fumble that Michael Mayer recovered. The Patriots entered halftime with 256 net yards to the Raiders’ 127. The scoreboard already reflected a substantial difference, and the second half would widen it.
New England received the third-quarter kickoff and immediately attacked. Drake Maye completed passes of 13 yards to Eli Raridon and 13 yards to Efton Chism III. Defensive pass interference added another advance before an offensive pass-interference penalty pushed the Patriots backward.
The setback left New England facing second-and-19 at the Las Vegas 34 after a short run. Drake Maye responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Williams. With 12:58 remaining in the third quarter, the Patriots led 28–7, and the Raiders’ defense had again turned a difficult offensive situation into an explosive score.
Las Vegas managed a field goal after a New England punt. Brock Bowers gained 27 yards on a reception, but the next completion to the tight end lost three yards, and two incomplete passes followed. Matt Gay converted from 46 yards, cutting the deficit to 28–10 with 8:30 remaining.
New England answered with another long touchdown possession. Drake Maye converted third-and-five with a 16-yard completion to DeMario Douglas, then hit Eli Raridon for 31 yards to the Las Vegas 19. The Patriots continued moving despite another holding penalty and a false start.
A 14-yard completion to Rhamondre Stevenson brought the ball to the three. On third-and-one, Drake Maye ran around the left side for the touchdown. The nine-play, 71-yard drive consumed 5:20 and made it 35–10 with 3:10 remaining in the third quarter.
Las Vegas could not even keep a fourth-down conversion intact on its next possession. Kirk Cousins completed a pass to Brock Bowers beyond the line to gain, but Kindle Vildor forced a fumble and New England recovered. A play that could have extended the Raiders’ drive instead handed the Patriots another possession.
Drake Maye soon connected with Kyle Williams for 49 yards on third-and-two, moving the ball to the Las Vegas nine. The Patriots stalled there, but Andres Borregales converted a 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. New England’s advantage grew to 38–10.
Kirk Cousins then led a scoring response that arrived with the game already badly tilted. He completed a 28-yard pass and found Ashton Jeanty for 31 yards, helping Las Vegas reach the New England nine. Dylan Laube finished with a two-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 38–17 with 10:49 remaining.
The Raiders tried an onside kick, and Hunter Henry secured it at the Las Vegas 44. New England turned that favorable starting position into another touchdown, using completions to Eli Raridon and Efton Chism III, along with productive running by Corey Kiner, to work inside the 10.
On third-and-three from the eight, Drake Maye completed his second touchdown pass to DeMario Douglas. The Patriots had consumed another 4:43 and pushed the lead to 45–17 with 6:06 remaining. Any remaining suspense belonged to the final statistics.
Fernando Mendoza handled the Raiders’ last possession, completing six of eight passes for 48 yards. Las Vegas reached the New England 14, but an incomplete third-down pass and a three-yard scramble on fourth-and-four ended the drive. Corey Kiner then ripped off a 32-yard run before Drake Maye closed the game with three kneeldowns.
Kyle Williams finished with three receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown, averaging 30.3 yards per catch. DeMario Douglas caught four passes for 65 yards and two scores. Hunter Henry contributed three receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, while Eli Raridon and Efton Chism III each caught five passes for 57 yards.
The Patriots’ rushing attack supplied the other half of the beating. Rhamondre Stevenson gained 64 yards on 13 carries and scored once, while Corey Kiner added 52 yards on six attempts. TreVeyon Henderson finished with 22 rushing yards, and Drake Maye’s official rushing total was 25 yards on seven attempts, including the late kneeldowns.
Kirk Cousins completed 19 of 28 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Brock Bowers caught eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, but his third-quarter fumble undermined a fourth-down gain. Ashton Jeanty managed only 27 rushing yards on 10 attempts, although his three receptions added 50 yards.
Las Vegas finished with just 38 rushing yards on 18 attempts. That left the offense leaning heavily on its passing game while New England could threaten through the air and on the ground. The Patriots outgained the Raiders by 230 net yards and held the ball for 34:27.
Elijah Ponder recorded six combined tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Christian Elliss led New England with seven combined tackles. The Patriots surrendered some productive completions, particularly to Brock Bowers, but repeatedly stopped possessions before those gains became enough points to keep pace.
The performance still had blemishes. New England committed 12 penalties for 116 yards, lost a fumble and had Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson ruled out during the game. Those mistakes and departures did not disappear because the Patriots won comfortably.
But Las Vegas could not exploit them. The Raiders committed eight penalties for 101 yards, allowed New England to convert both fourth-down attempts and surrendered touchdowns on four of five red-zone possessions. Their defense registered only one sack while Drake Maye distributed the ball across nine credited pass catchers.
That is why this score was so ugly. New England repeatedly recovered from setbacks and finished possessions; Las Vegas repeatedly found ways to stall or surrender another opportunity. Drake Maye supplied the precision, the Patriots supplied the balance, and the Raiders spent the afternoon paying for both.