For the second straight season, Geno Smith has proven to be a thorn in the Patriots’ side, even if the veteran quarterback doesn’t see it that way.
“I wouldn’t say I’m the thorn in anybody’s side,” Smith told the Herald after the Raiders spoiled New England’s season opener with a 20-13 victory. “We got a win today that was good. They are our opponent. We are on the road, and we had to win it.”
Smith, in his 12th season in the NFL, threw for 362 yards and a touchdown while posting a 102.8 quarterback rating in his Las Vegas debut. The Raiders acquired the 34-year-old in a trade with Seattle during the offseason.
Smith’s performance on Sunday proved reminiscent of his Week 2 start in the Patriots’ home opener last season, after New England pulled off a surprising Week 1 victory in Cincinnati.
The quarterback threw for 327 yards and a touchdown, connecting with star receivers DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba 22 times for 246 yards. Smith guided the Seahawks to a 23-20 overtime win, changing the vibes for the Patriots.
New England would then drop the next five games, starting the season at 1-6.
The Patriots organization has high hopes for Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach.
But Smith crushed an electric atmosphere inside Gillette Stadium early on Sunday. He guided the Raiders on an opening 6-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to receiver Tre Tucker just 2:43 into the season, putting Vegas ahead 7-0.
Trailing 10-7 at halftime, Smith came out of the locker-room break and connected with former Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers twice for 57 yards (including a 15-yard defensive penalty on New England’s Jaylinn Hawkins). That helped set up rookie running back Ashton Jeanty’s first NFL touchdown, with a three-yard rush at the 9:44 mark in the third quarter, and Vegas going ahead for good.
“He is a star player in the NFL,” Vegas head coach Pete Carroll said of Smith postgame. “He has been doing this for a long time. That was a normal response for him to just not worry about it.”
Smith stayed poised when Patriots fans got loud for the final time, as he connected with tight end Michael Mayer for eight yards on a 4th-and-1, extending a Vegas drive around the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter. The drive ended with a 40-yard field goal from kicker Daniel Carlson with 6:46 left.
The veteran relied on Meyers, who put up eight catches for 97 yards, and star tight end Brock Bowers, five catches for 103 yards, to carry the bulk of the Vegas offense.
Though he beat the Patriots for the second straight season, Smith said he is impressed with the Patriots’ defensive unit. New England limited the Raiders to just 2.3 yards per carry and sacked Smith four times while forcing an interception.
“They have got a lot of young players, development players,” Smith said. “The guys on the front are stout and tough. They are going to have a tough defense going forward.”
