Raiders fans just have to marvel at what Klint Kubiak has done with so little

The Las Vegas Raiders and their fanbase have yearned for a head coach like Klint Kubiak for decades.

Does the young leader have it all figured out yet? Certainly not. As the head coach, he's also culpable for the defensive struggles, and the Silver and Black have endured plenty of those. But Kubiak got the job in Las Vegas because of his offensive prowess, and he's already brought that in spades.

Everyone expected the offense to be improved under his tutelage, but Raider Nation probably didn't dream about just how quickly this group would jump into borderline elite conversations, especially considering the talent deficiencies and big questions surrounding Las Vegas coming into the year.

This had been one of the worst offenses in the NFL for seasons on end until Kubiak arrived. It's now the strength of a .500 team. The best part is that Kubiak has not only kept the team afloat, but thrived in somewhat undesirable circumstances. It's impossible not to be excited about the future.

Klint Kubiak is proving that Raiders don't need shiny toys to have an elite offense

Las Vegas has one of the best offenses in the league so far during the 2026 NFL season despite having a 38-year-old Kirk Cousins at quarterback, who many thought was washed a year or two ago, no run game, one good wideout, an inconsistent offensive line and a terrible supporting defense.

Any one of those would have been an excuse for the Raiders to have a putrid offensive attack in years past, but Kubiak is dealing with all of them and still having great success.

Through eight games, Las Vegas is averaging 27.6 points, which is the sixth-most in the NFL. They've scored over 30 points on three occasions and below 21 just once. The Raiders have accomplished this through the aforementioned obstacles, with Brock Bowers also missing two games.

Cousins has shocked a lot of people this year, but he still very much has his limitations. He can't evade pressure or make off-script plays, nor use his legs to pick up first downs or keep defenses honest. Cousins doesn't have a rocket arm anymore for deep throws or tight windows.

And yet, the veteran is second in the NFL in passing touchdowns with 19, and third in yards with 2,124. Most would assume that, for an aging signal-caller to have that much success, he must have an elite run game to rely on, a dominant offensive line and special skill-position players.

But Cousins has nothing of the sort.

The Raiders' run game is 31st in the league in both total yards and yards per attempt. Their struggles in this realm have been due to a combination of poor running and poor run-blocking. The offensive line has had a revolving door at right guard all season long. The pass-catching corps is weak.

Sure, Brock Bowers is an elite weapon, Michael Mayer is very good, and Tre Tucker has his moments, but this isn't exactly a crew that gets talked about as one of the NFL's best. This was the same top three as last year, and yet Kubiak's scheming and play-calling have made a world of difference.

Plus, for as much as Mayer and Tucker can help in the passing game, they aren't exactly tremendous separators. The Las Vegas offense is being surgically opened up with Kubiak's scalpel; it's not like the players are making him right. He is doing the best with the cards that he has been dealt.

Cody White was released by the Seattle Seahawks, and in a matter of weeks, was the Raiders' No. 2 receiver. Deven Thompkins has played real snaps for this team, as have Malik Benson and Dareke Young. Ian Thomas is a key fixture for the offense. These aren't all rosterable players on other teams.

Just imagine what this offense will look like when the offensive line and run game catch up, or when they get a true No. 1 receiver. Or when a young gun with mobility and a whip arm like Fernando Mendoza is under center, making plays for the unit. It'll be unstoppable.

Kubiak is getting the job done now, though, and the difference between this year and the previous two years is night and day.

Las Vegas' 2026 offense is unrecognizable compared to years past

To put it simply, let's just look at some raw numbers for the Silver and Black offense between 2024 and 2026.

What a difference a year makes. What a difference Kubiak makes.

Again, the fact that Kubiak has accomplished all of this in spite of having an older quarterback whom many had written off before the year, having no run game, an up-and-down offensive line and a lackluster set of weapons, plus the worst defense of the three years, is something to marvel at.

Bowers, Mayer and Tucker were in the building in years past, but did not have the same kind of success. And they had Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers on the roster, too. Sure, the additions of Tyler Linderbaum and Rick Dennison were huge, as were Spencer Burford and Mike Washington Jr.

But it's not like the offensive line is the reason that this unit is having success, and the latter two were a cheap free agent signing and a fourth-round pick, respectively. We can't act like those two were bona fide starters or even contributors when they were added to the mix.

Past coaches made excuses or had excuses made for them because every single problem wasn't solved before the team took the field. But not only does Kubiak not make excuses, he also takes the blame and finds solutions. He plays the cards he is dealt, and well, without asking for a re-deal.

Therein lies Kubiak's magic: He has done so much with so little.

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