Former USC safety Isaiah Pola-Mao gets interception, helps Pete Carroll win Raiders debut

[ASFN Admin]

Sunday marked the return to the NFL sidelines of Pete Carroll. After a year away from the league, the legendary former USC head coach is now back as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. In Week 1, Carroll got his first win with his new team, as Las Vegas defeated the New England Patriots 20-13. Playing a key role in the victory was former USC safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, who had a key interception of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye early in the third quarter.

Playing for Carroll marks a bit of a full circle moment for Pola-Mao. More than 20 years ago, his uncle, Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, was an All-American playing under Carroll at USC. Now, the next generation of the family is continuing to make plays for the legendary head coach.

In Polamalu's final season playing for Carroll, the Trojans went 11-2, finishing tied for the Pac-10 championship and dominating Iowa in the Orange Bowl. Now, Carroll will look to reach a similar level of success with Pola-Mao in Las Vegas.

After getting the season-opening win on the road, Carroll and the Raiders return home next week to take on old foe Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers. Be sure to check out Raiders Wire for extensive coverage of Carroll's first season in the Sin City.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC's Isaiah Pola-Mao helps Pete Carroll, Raiders defeat Patriots

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