Raiders New Era Starts With Convincing Victory
The Las Vegas Raiders opened the 2026 NFL season with a 27-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, giving new head coach Klint Kubiak an impressive debut and providing an early glimpse of what the team hopes will be a dramatically improved offense.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins was brought to Las Vegas to provide stability in the present while serving as a bridge to the future, when top draft pick Fernando Mendoza is expected to take over as the Raiders’ starting quarterback. In his 15th NFL season, Cousins quickly showed why Las Vegas acquired him from Atlanta, completing his first 10 passes while efficiently directing the offense. Cousins finished 21 of 30 for 160 yards and three touchdowns, although he was intercepted twice.
His three touchdown passes moved his career total to 301, making him the 15th quarterback in NFL history to reach the 300-touchdown milestone. He moved into 14th place on the career list, one touchdown ahead of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. Cousins also became the first Raiders quarterback to throw at least three touchdown passes in a season opener since Kerry Collins did it against New England in 2005.
Ashton Jeanty Provides a Major Spark
The biggest beneficiary of Cousins’ performance was running back Ashton Jeanty, who caught two of his touchdown passes and played a major role throughout the afternoon.
Jeanty rushed for 102 yards and added six receptions for 45 yards, giving him the third 100-yard rushing game of his career. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft showed no signs of being limited by the ankle injury he suffered on Aug. 23.
His second touchdown reception proved particularly important. After Miami had trimmed the Raiders’ lead to 17-13 early in the third quarter, Dylan Laube returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to midfield. Cousins then connected with Jeanty on a 13-yard touchdown pass, restoring Las Vegas’ momentum and putting the Raiders back in control.
Kubiak’s Offense Shows Immediate Improvement
Las Vegas finished with 290 total yards in Kubiak’s first game as an NFL head coach. Kubiak, who served as the offensive coordinator for Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning team last season, received a game ball in the locker room following his first career victory.
The Raiders offensive performance represented a noticeable improvement from last season, when they ranked last in the NFL in both total offense at 245.2 yards per game and scoring at 14.2 points per game.
Las Vegas also showed it could move the ball efficiently without star tight end Brock Bowers, who missed the opener after undergoing knee surgery. Michael Mayer stepped into a larger role and caught six passes for 32 yards.
Still, Kubiak wasn’t satisfied with the way his offense finished the game. Outside of the final possession, when Las Vegas took a knee in victory formation, the Raiders’ four fourth-quarter drives ended with three punts and an interception.
That area will need to improve quickly. The Raiders are about to enter a difficult six-game stretch featuring opponents such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams. That stretch should provide a much better indication of how far Kubiak’s offense has progressed.
Malik Willis Under Pressure Throughout the Opener
Miami entered the season with the youngest roster in the NFL, averaging 25.5 years old, and the Dolphins struggled to consistently match Las Vegas’ physicality and execution. Quarterback Malik Willis passed for 220 yards and an interception while facing pressure for much of the afternoon. He was sacked five times, including 1½ sacks by Raiders star Maxx Crosby.
The sack gave Crosby another milestone, as he became the third player in Raiders history to record at least 70 career sacks since the statistic became official in 1982. Miami did manage to make the game interesting after falling behind 17-3. The Dolphins cut the deficit to 17-13 early in the third quarter and had an opportunity to make it a one-possession game.
First-year Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said he was pleased with his team’s fight and its ability to stay within striking distance, but Miami ultimately couldn’t generate enough offense to complete the comeback.
Raiders Take Advantage of Home Field
The Raiders never trailed and immediately established control with an impressive opening possession. Las Vegas marched 93 yards on 16 plays, consuming 8:58 off the clock before taking a 7-0 lead.
That kind of sustained drive was a welcome sight for an offense that struggled badly to generate production last season. The Raiders had only one touchdown drive of at least 90 yards throughout the entire 2025 season. This time, they set the tone from the opening series and maintained enough control to secure the victory.
The 27-13 win gives Las Vegas a strong start to the Kubiak era while providing Cousins with exactly the kind of veteran performance the Raiders were hoping to get when they brought him aboard. For Miami, the opener highlighted how much work remains for Hafley and his young roster.
Next Sunday NFL Matchups
The Dolphins will travel to San Francisco next Sunday looking to rebound from the season-opening loss. The Raiders will remain on the road next week, visiting the Los Angeles Chargers as they begin a difficult stretch of the schedule that will provide a much tougher test of their offensive progress.
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