Raiders gave fans a reason to feel good again
Steve Carp
Host · Writer
LAS VEGAS — So this is what success looks and feels like?
An offense that moves the ball. A defense that makes stops. Special teams that can deliver. Answering an opposing team’s field goal with a touchdown. A true home-field advantage with a crowd that actually cheers for you, not the opponent.
For those long-suffering denizens of Raider Nation, this day has been a long time coming. There haven’t been many Sundays like this one, a 27-13 win over Miami. And maybe we won’t see a ton more of these. At least not right away.
But for the Silver and Black, what you saw at Allegiant Stadium is what’s possible when you hire the right people, allow them to do their jobs, bring in a coach and a staff who know what they’re doing and entrust the players to execute the game plan.
That’s what happened on Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season here in Las Vegas. It looked and felt like winning football. Not perfect, but certainly more good than bad and a lot better than what we’ve been accustomed to around here for what feels like forever.
Yes, it’s the Dolphins, a team that has its own litany of issues to deal with. But when you’re coming off a three-win season, you take the good any way you can get it. And while Klint Kubiak was cautionary with his post-game remarks because that’s what he was taught, he should privately be ecstatic for his assistants and for his players. It’s been a long run-up to Week 1 and you never know how your 38-year-old quarterback or your star edge rusher coming off knee surgery are going to perform.
But Kirk Cousins did what veterans are supposed to do, manage the offense and keep it moving forward. Yes, he had two interceptions, but Cousins also had three touchdown passes, two to Ashton Jeanty, the second-year running back who accumulated 147 yards of total offense, including 102 rushing yards.
And Maxx Crosby was up to his usual hijinks, making life for Malik Willis a living hell. He had 1.5 sacks, teaming up with Kwity Paye for two more and leading a defense that dropped Willis five times total.
There was Dylan Laube returning kickoffs out to midfield to give the offense great starting field position. There were pass breakups and interception from rookie safety Treydan Stukes. There were just 29 yards in penalties committed by Las Vegas compared to Miami’s 81.
“It was a team win,” said Cousins, who achieved some personal glory Sunday by passing the 300 TD mark in his NFL career. “That’s how it should be around here.”
He heaped praise on his offensive line, as he should. So did Jeanty along with Kubiak. Bringing in Tyler Linderbaum to play center and anchor the line has paid off early on and give general manager John Spytek credit for that one.
“I saw those same guys today that I’ve been seeing in practice — opening holes, protecting the quarterback,” Kubiak said.
Jeanty showed no signs of the sprained right ankle that had sidelined him late in the preseason. He used the time in preparing for Week 1 wisely, working with the Raiders’ medical staff and getting himself ready to compete.
“I felt good,” Jeanty said. “I put in the work and trusted our training staff to have me ready.”
The vast majority of the crowd of 62,541 was also ready. And that the home fans showed how loud and intimidating the Death Star can be when there’s a reason to show up and cheer is what Mark Davis envisioned when he moved the team here from Oakland six years ago.
For the much-maligned majority owner, this had to feel good. But trust can be a fleeting thing. Cousins addressed that in his postgame remarks.
“As Coach Mario likes to say, trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets,” Cousins said, referring to assistant Mario Jeberaeel, who oversees the team’s running game.
Kubiak said: “We’re making a big point about making this our house again.”
Keep winning and that won’t be an issue. Jeanty said he’s not looking back on last year’s disastrous 3-14 season.
“We’re moving forward,” he said. “It’s a new team, new staff. We’re building a new culture here.”
For Kubiak, who was awarded the first game ball following the victory, said: “It meant a lot to me. But we have 16 more.”
If you remember, the Raiders won their opening game last season for Pete Carroll. They proceeded to lose 14 of their remaining 16. So it may be wise to listen to Mario Jeberaeel and keep building trust, even if it means one drop at a time.
