The New England Patriots welcomed plenty of new faces as they opened their season against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon. While some players needed a moment to get their feet wet, cornerback Carlton Davis III dove in headfirst.
Davis was one of the biggest free-agent splashes by the Patriots last spring, signing a three-year, $54 million contract to add a lockdown corner in the secondary. Although Davis has high expectations due to the size of his contract, it took him just half a quarter to make a play that led to an interception and make his mark in his Patriots debut.
New Patriot Carlton Davis III Makes Big Play to Spark New England vs. Raiders
Davis’s big play came in the first quarter after the Raiders had jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith tried to force a pass to tight end Brock Bowers, but Davis used his 6-foot-1 frame to deflect the ball into the air and into the hands of Jaylinn Hawkins for the interception.
The interception was a big play as Drake Maye took the ball and engineered a 12-play, 82-yard drive that ended with a two-yard pass to DeMario Douglas for the Patriots’ first touchdown of the season. While the Patriots wound up losing the game by a score of 20-13, Davis showed he was worth every penny for New England this offseason.
Davis broke into the league as a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but spent last season with the Detroit Lions. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis allowed 43 catches for 583 yards and three touchdowns with six pass breakups and two interceptions on 72 targets. But he missed the final stretch of the season after suffering a broken jaw last December.
That didn’t stop the Patriots from backing up the Brinks truck as they needed help in the secondary. New England ranked 15th with 7.0 yards per attempt allowed last season, but their 5.1% touchdown rate allowed was the ninth-highest in the league, and their 1.3% interception rate was tied for the fifth-lowest with the New York Jets.
Davis already bumped up those numbers on one of his first drives in New England, and the Patriots will need him to continue with Christian Gonzalez out due to a hamstring injury. Even when Gonzalez returns, the Pats are hoping for more plays like the one Davis came up with on Sunday and perhaps another step toward an improved defense in 2025.