Even though the New England Patriots dropped their season opener to the Las Vegas Raiders, there were at least some encouraging takeaways. Chief among them was the immediate impact of edge rusher Harold Landry, one of the team’s big free-agent signings this past offseason.
The former Tennessee Titan looked every bit worth his three-year, $45 million deal, finishing with five tackles and a team-best 2.5 sacks in the 20-13 defeat.
Landry, however, wasn’t satisfied with his performance alone. He made it clear that the entire defense needs to raise its level when games tighten after halftime.
“I thought we started with good energy, but then we eased up,” Landry said following the loss. “Coach Vrabel has been warning us that Week 1 would come down to how we played in the second half. You saw flashes of what this defense can do, but we didn’t come out after halftime ready to take over and close it out.”
The Patriots actually entered the locker room on a high note. After putting together a long scoring drive and then delivering a defensive stop, New England led 10-7 at the break. Landry, alongside K’Lavon Chaisson and Milton Williams, helped spark a disruptive first-half effort that appeared to put the Raiders on their heels.
But the momentum completely shifted after halftime. Las Vegas strung together 13 unanswered points, while New England’s defense lost its edge and the offense never found a rhythm. Despite the early promise, the second half was flat on both sides of the ball.
“This defense has the pieces to be really good,” Landry added. “I’m excited to be here, but we’ve got to be sharper. No lapses.”
Voted a captain by his new teammates, Landry backed up the leadership role immediately with his production. And while his captain’s patch nearly came loose during the contest, his play certainly did not. Through the first weekend of NFL action, the former Boston College standout actually led the league in sacks — proof that New England’s investment could pay dividends quickly.
Still, Landry insisted that winning must come before individual accolades.
“We know the ceiling is high for this group,” he said. “But it comes down to being consistent on every snap.”
The Patriots were missing top corner Christian Gonzalez, sidelined with a hamstring injury, and his absence was glaring. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith threw for 362 yards, exploiting the middle of the field repeatedly with rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who finished with five catches for 103 yards. Offensively, New England’s problems were just as concerning: only three points scored in the second half, little traction in the running game, and an attack that still resembled last season’s 4-13 unit.
Head coach Mike Vrabel, back in Foxborough where he won three Super Bowls as a player, didn’t hide his displeasure afterward. His comments were widely interpreted as a warning to the locker room — a reminder that early mistakes and inconsistency won’t be tolerated under his watch. With Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels steering the ship, the Patriots believe improvement will come quickly. But after Week 1, one thing is clear: Vrabel is already putting his players on notice.
