At the end of the day, winning is the only thing that matters in the NFL. So, Las Vegas Raiders fans are surely riding high and feeling all-in on new head coach Klint Kubiak after his debut 27-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins. And to that I say: go crazy, Raider Nation. I think Kubiak may actually be the one.
Not just because the offense put up 27 points without Brock Bowers, which was more than they scored in any game over the last two years, outside of an overtime bout in 2025. Not just because the defense gave up 13 points, which will win the Silver and Black a ton of games. It's more than that.
Kubiak is clearly building a culture that the people in the building and in the fanbase believe in. He's not a snake oil salesman; Kubiak is walking the walk. That's why Allegiant Stadium was jumping on Sunday, and why the Raiders came out with the result that they did.
But most pivotally, Kubiak did a lot of subtle things to indicate that he'll be a great coach in Las Vegas. Whether it was him bucking trends of the past, making 180s from last year or putting his personal flavor on key elements of the game, Kubiak's first contest was a rousing success by many measures.
7 subtle ways that Raiders' Klint Kubiak had a successful first outing
1. Raiders rotated heavily on both sides of the ball
This may sound like a minor thing, but when Las Vegas is looking for answers and depth pieces to step up both offensively and defensively, a heavy rotation is in order. On the first offensive drive, every single skill-position player set foot on the field. Yes, even the practice squad call-ups.
Obviously, the Raiders want their best players out there as much as possible, but getting everyone involved is not only great for culture-building, but it also keeps the opponent guessing, gives players a chance to make an impact, and keeps the stars and starters fresher for later in the game and year.
In a rebuilding campaign, which is what this still seems to be, that is all critical. Well done, coach!
2. Las Vegas utilized unique personnel groupings
All offseason, Kubiak said that he'd put the "best five eligibles" out there, and he delivered on that vs. Miami. Without Bowers in the lineup, the Raiders relied heavily on 21 personnel, whether that meant adding a fullback to lead block or playing Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. at the same time.
Defensively, that came to fruition with Kwity Paye moving around the defensive line to add more pass rush or run stoppers beside him, moving Quay Walker to the defensive line and putting in an extra linebacker in Tommy Eichenberg instead of Taron Johnson, or other unpredictable configurations.
The harder Las Vegas is to predict, the better. Versatility wasn't just a buzzword this offseason; it came to life on Sunday.
3. Raiders played a very clean game in the penalty department
After getting heavily penalized throughout much of the preseason, the Raiders played a very clean game against the Dolphins. They were docked six times, but only for a total of 29 yards, and they did not shoot themselves in the foot with personal fouls or any key or untimely flags. Discipline.
4. Kubiak put Maxx Crosby on a pitch count
For the first time in years, star Maxx Crosby was on somewhat of a pitch count. And to nobody's surprise, it made all the difference. Crosby was still effective, but everyone else got involved, and the defense did not fall apart without him, thanks to the upgrades made this offseason.
To have the gall, in your first game as the head coach, to tell your $35.5 million defensive end that he's gonna play the lowest snap share that he has since 2023 is commendable. Kubiak has a clear vision for this team, and he actually lives up to the organizational saying that "nobody is above The Shield."
5. The Las Vegas defense looked transformed
Rob Leonard deserves a lot of credit for what the defense accomplished on Sunday. But Kubiak is still the head of the snake here, and things looked much different under him than they did a year ago. Instead of bending and not breaking, the Las Vegas defense attacked; it controlled the game.
Getting two takeaways was great, and pressuring Malik Willis on 27 of his 37 dropbacks was impressive. Those results won't always be there, but the attitude and approach that the Raiders had, which was to play fast and swarm the ball, will serve them well.
They'll give stuff up, but they'll take a lot, too.
6. Raiders knew how to play with a lead
Oddly enough, playing with a lead has almost been scarier for Raiders fans than being behind. The Silver and Black have just had no idea how to play with a lead in recent years, and they've been far better equipped to make a comeback in a game than to hold on for a victory. That changed Sunday.
Instead of freaking out and changing the formula, Kubiak controlled the game by running and giving Kirk Cousins easy throws to make. He kept the chains moving and the clock running. Las Vegas possessed the ball for 10 more minutes than their opponent and ran 17 more plays.
Good luck coming back if the Raiders can hold firm in this way going forward.
7. Las Vegas soundly beat a team they should have
The Raiders were supposed to beat the Dolphins. They had Miami outmatched at practically every position, they were more experienced, and they were playing at home. And even without Brock Bowers, and not even playing a good second half offensively, they won by two scores.
Truthfully, the game never felt that close. Sure, it was 17-13 at one point, but did anyone ever get that sick, all-too-familiar feeling that Las Vegas was going to blow it? I never did. Beating the Dolphins isn't impressive in a vacuum, but the fact that the Raiders did what they were supposed to do is promising.
Bonus: Kubiak said all the right things post-game
Everything Kubiak said after the game can be found here, but his opening statement sums things up pretty well:
"Really proud of our team. It's been a really, really fun journey from the spring and through training camp, and now really proud of the guys. Not happy with how we played the game offensively in that second half, and we have a lot to get better at. But I'm very excited for our team and for the organization and for the Silver and Black. The crowd tonight was phenomenal."
Pride. Celebrating an NFL win, which is always hard-fought. Having perspective. Giving a shoutout to the crowd and the organization. But not being satisfied and keeping the hunger. That's how you do it, and Raider Nation knows that Kubiak means every word of this. The best is yet to come.
It wasn't all good for Raiders' Klint Kubiak in debut vs. Dolphins
Obviously, it wasn't a perfect game. The Raiders' offense really struggled in the second half, as their yards per attempt running the ball got cut in half, and the Dolphins' defense started to figure out that Cousins can't throw the ball downfield. Kubiak needed to find a better way to overcome that.
He also got a little too cute at times in the first half with the Connor Heyward tush push and a bad end-around call trying to get rookie Malik Benson involved. The defense gave up a few too many big plays, which may come back to bite them against stiffer competition.
But for a debut game with a rebuilding Raiders team that started from absolute ground zero this offseason, Kubiak has a lot to be proud of. His ability, and the team's, will be tested even more in the coming weeks. Based on Week 1, down to the subtleties, fans should be feeling confident.
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