The Las Vegas Raiders didn't look like a team that is destined for a deep postseason run in their debut under Pete Carroll. But they were able to wring out a hard-fought 20-13 victory on the road against a New England Patriots team that came into that game with a fair degree of hype.
Part of the reason the Raiders are expected to be a bit better as the Carroll era kicks off is the marriage between offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and new quarterback Geno Smith. With Smith leading the NFL in passing yards after his 362-yard showing in Week 1, all signs point to him having a better year than he did in his final campaign with the Seattle Seahawks.