Fans are gearing up for the New England Patriots' season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.

The home opener marks a new chapter for the franchise with former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel set to debut as head coach. Fans say the fresh start has brought a renewed sense of optimism after several difficult seasons.

"It's going to be awesome. It's a home opener. Every time it's a home opener, the crowd is going wild. So it's going to be fun," said Pat Charest, who came all the way from Montreal for the game.

"It's a big thing for us every year. It's a new beginning for us, but we've been doing it for 15, 20 years that we come up here," Charest said. "It's really cool, and we like it a lot."

For many, the combination of Vrabel's leadership and second-year quarte

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