The start of the new NFL season was promising for some teams — but not so much for others. The New England Patriots were expected to be a tough opponent at home, but the Las Vegas Raiders delivered a statement win in Foxborough. Now under the leadership of Pete Carroll and with Geno Smith as the clear on-field leader, this team is starting to look like a serious contender in the AFC West.
A change of scenery was necessary for the franchise — which is why the arrival of a new head coach, along with a veteran quarterback, made perfect sense. Still, one of the key factors behind the victory at Gillette Stadium may have come from elsewhere.
According to Carroll himself, the standout performance didn’t come from the usual suspects. Instead, it was veteran linebacker Devin White — who joined the Raiders this past offseason — that truly set himself apart.
“He was a hammer. He looked good. I was really excited that his presence was so obvious,” the former Seahawks coach said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He’s had a couple years where his game hasn’t been at that level that he played at yesterday, and so he’s just getting going and had fun playing. He handled a lot of communication, and he hit the heck out of it. So that was really encouraging, really fired up for him.”
Devin White’s mindset moving forward
Devin White is a highly experienced NFL player — and even a Super Bowl champion — which is why he understands the importance of capitalizing on key moments as a team in order to achieve great results.
“For me, it’s a great start,” White said. “It’s just one game, but we can build off this with momentum and energy. Individually, it doesn’t mean much to me. I just have to get back to the drawing board and be consistent with what I put out today because I can be that person all year. I played at a high level for a long time.
“Had a couple setbacks, but I don’t dwell on the past. I focus on the future and the controllables, and that means going in tomorrow and getting ready for the next one.”
Raiders’ upcoming games
Staying on the right track is a crucial part of the formula, and to do that, the Raiders will need to keep securing positive results in the coming weeks to remain firmly in the mix among the AFC contenders.
- vs Los Angeles Chargers, September 15
- @ Washington Commanders, September 21
- vs Chicago Bears, September 28
- @ Indianapolis Colts, October 5
- vs Tennessee Titans, October 12