Albert Breer breaks down the financial ramifications of Jack Jones’ move to injured reserve
While Tom Brady was at Gillette Stadium on Sunday being honored for his legendary New England Patriots career, a handful of his former teammates found success in Week 1 -- with other teams.
Among those former teammates was Brady's former backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, who made his Las Vegas Raiders debut Sunday against the Denver Broncos after six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Among Garoppolo's targets in Las Vegas is wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who signed a three-year contract with the Raiders this offseason after the Patriots let him walk in free agency.
While Garoppolo and Meyers never overlapped in New England, they're wasting no time developing chemistry on the Raiders: Garoppolo's first touchdown pass in silver and black -- under Las Vegas head coach and ex-Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels -- went to the 26-year-old wideout in the first quarter.
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Garoppolo and Meyers weren't the only Patriots alumni who made an impact in Week 1, however. Below is a roundup of notable performances by ex-Patriots, which we'll update throughout the day.
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Raiders
Garoppolo's first Raiders start didn't come without an injury scare; the 31-year-old QB took an illegal hit from Denver's Justin Simmons on Las Vegas' first drive and had to briefly leave the game for a concussion check.
That allowed another ex-Patriot, Brian Hoyer, to enter the game for two plays, but Garoppolo returned before finding Meyers for the score.
Jimmy G wasn't perfect -- he threw an interception in the red zone and passed for just 200 yards -- but he completed 20 of 26 passes and helped seal Las Vegas' 17-16 victory with a first-down scamper on third-and-7.
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Jakobi Meyers, WR, Raiders
Meyers was the Patriots' leading receiver with McDaniels calling plays for two straight seasons, and the Raiders head coach appears to have big plans for his new wideout in Las Vegas.
Meyers was all over the field in his Raiders debut, catching nine of 10 targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns, all team highs. Meyers' second score of the day -- a 6-yard reception on a slant route -- proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the Raiders' narrow victory.
Meyers was on the receiving end of a nasty hit with just under three minutes remaining in regulation. He came out of the game to be evaluated for a concussion and didn't return. Still, his Week 1 performance was impressive, especially when compared to new Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who essentially replaced Meyers by signing a three-year deal with New England this offseason.
Nick Folk, K, Tennessee Titans
The Patriots parted ways with Folk in favor of rookie kicker Chad Ryland, but the 38-year-old clearly still has plenty left in the tank.
Folk went a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals on Sunday, scoring all 15 of the Titans' points in their 16-15 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He drilled two field goals of 45 yards or more with a long of 50 and essentially kept Tennessee in the game with his leg.
Your move, Chad.
