What We Learned from Raiders' Road Win Over the Patriots
The Las Vegas Raiders walked away from Sunday's matchup against the New England Patriots with a win. Las Vegas' road performance gives hope that this season will be a positive one.
Raiders Get Off on the Right Foot
Las Vegas looked like a different team from the start of the game, as Geno Smith and the offense quickly jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Their first drive put the Patriots on notice that Chip Kelly and the Raiders offense was ready for whatever type of game the Patriots wanted to play on Sunday.
Smith and the Raiders had their ups and downs during their win over the Patriots but it was largely more ups than downs. Overall, it is hard not to like what Kelly, and the offense did Sunday against the Patriots.
The Raiders Finally Have a Competent Starting QB
Eric Edholm of NFL.com analyzed the Raiders' performance against the Patriots. Edholm noted Smith's performance, as the veteran threw for 362 yards, while averaging nearly 11 yards per completion. Smith's arrival in Las Vegas looks to be an addition that could impact the AFC West."
"Geno Smith’s Raiders debut couldn’t have gone a lot better. He led the team down to a fast touchdown and overcame a first-half interception to wipe out the Patriots on the road. The Patriots sacked him four times, and the protection has to be better, but Smith fought through that and an injury to. Bowers was the offensive star before leaving the game with a left knee injury, but and both made good contributions," Edholm said.
"Last year’s Raiders only won two away from home, so Pete Carroll had to be happy with how his first season in Las Vegas started.was held in check but was good in short yardage, pinballing for a TD run and converting a key third-and-short late. They’ll hope for more balance offensively the next time out, and they’ve got to sort out the pass protection, but the Raiders did what they had to do offensively."
The Raiders still have plenty of things to work on, as does every team in the league after Week 1. However, there were more positives than negatives in their win over the Patriots. Las Vegas' coaching staff did a solid job of adjusting to the adjustments the Patriots made.
Las Vegas' win was impressive. The fact that they battled back from adversity to secure the win made things even better. The Raiders must enjoy the win for a moment, then turn their attention to a vital AFC West divisional game in Week 2.
David Ortiz: From Home Runs to Healing Hearts – The Big Papi Legacy
David Ortiz will always be remembered in Boston as the man who delivered when it mattered most. His clutch home runs helped break the curse, his smile lit up Fenway Park, and his larger-than-life personality made him the face of an era. Yet for all the moments Big Papi created on the field, his greatest legacy may live far away from the batter’s box.
Through the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, the Red Sox legend has spent years quietly changing lives. The foundation provides funding for life-saving heart surgeries for children in both the United States and his native Dominican Republic. Thousands of families who once faced impossible choices have instead found hope because Ortiz decided that his reach should extend well beyond baseball.
The most powerful story came not in a stadium but in a hospital corridor. Ortiz flew back to the Dominican Republic to meet a young child waiting for surgery. Before doctors wheeled the child into the operating room, Ortiz held the small hand and whispered words that spread across social media: “I once saved the Red Sox with a home run. Today I want to save your heart.” It was more than a comforting line. It was a reminder that heroes are defined by humanity, not only highlights.
Ortiz’s presence in those moments is as significant as any walk-off homer. His ability to turn fame into tangible impact has made him more than just a baseball icon. It has made him a figure of hope. Hospitals across New England and the Dominican Republic still celebrate his contributions, with families referring to him as “a giant with a giant heart.”
In many ways, Ortiz embodies the best version of what athletes can be. He achieved greatness in his sport but refused to let it stop there. He used his platform to shine a light on those who otherwise would have gone unseen, to lift up families who otherwise might have been forgotten.
Fenway Park will always echo with his heroics, but for every fan who cheered a home run, there is a child alive today because Ortiz believed in something bigger than baseball. That duality — the slugger and the savior — is what cements his legacy as one of the most beloved figures in Red Sox history.
When people talk about Big Papi, they will mention the 2004 ALCS, the clutch swings, and the championships. But they should also remember the quiet words he once spoke to a child on the edge of surgery. Those words, and the lives saved through his foundation, are the true measure of David Ortiz.
