Once the NFL released the 2025 schedules, the Patriots looked to have gotten a fairly easy start by welcoming the Raiders to Gillette Stadium in Week 1. It allowed Josh McDaniels to (hopefully) accomplish revenge against the team that fired him midseason in 2023, and also be a potentially easy win for the home to start the season off on the right foot.
That has been the consensus all offseason, despite both teams undergoing massive changes over the last few months from their head coaches to their rosters. The Patriots appear to have the advantage at several positions, pass rusher not being one of them, but their defense is expected to have a good day against the competition.