New Era For Raiders: QB Cousins, RB Jeanty Lead Balanced Attack In Silver & Black’s 27-13 Win Over Miami Dolphins In Season-Opener Sunday
Just the facts: Raiders 27 Dolphins 13
Key to win: Balanced offensive attack of 160 yards passing and 130 rushing; solid defense
Coach Klint Kubiak postgame quote: “Obvious it’s up to us to earn the respect of the fans.”
Game ball: Klint Kubiak, first win as a head coach
Ashton Jeanty: 23 carries for 102 yards and six catches for 45 yards, including two touchdown catches
Stat of the game: Zero sacks of Cousins
Jeanty comparing 2025 rookie season to 2026: “The past is the past. We’re moving forward.”
Raiders’ next home game: Oct. 4 when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Parking Lot Jack says he had triple bypass surgery.
But nothing gets in the way of Parking Lot Jack, a legit Raiders superfan, from occupying his two-stall corner tailgating spot a five-minute walk to Allegiant Stadium.
“Welcome home,” he tells anyone wearing a stitch of silver and black.
The Raiders superfans like Parking Lot Jack, Wayne “The Violator” Mabry and Raiders Bus owner Andy Coronado are perennial fixtures at Raiders games.
But Raiders head coaches and quarterbacks not so much.
Today Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins launched yet a new era in Raiders football, with the anointed/earnest/friendly one, Fernando Mendoza, waiting just off the stage for his name to be called one game this season.
With a mere three wins out of 17 games, the Raiders had the worst record in the 32-team National Football League in the 2025 season, paving the path for the Raiders to pick the 22-year-old Mendoza with the league’s overall number one draft pick.
Mendoza will sit. At first.
Cousins, who is older than Mendoza, played well in the preseason, leading the Raiders on scoring drives during the exhibition games.
Jeanty pounded out a first down on his first carry of the season and Cousins led the Raiders down the field until the Dolphins stopped Las Vegas on a fourth down quarterback plunge. But the call was overturned upon review and the drive continued.
And the Raiders cashed in.
Cousins completed the scoring drive in the first quarter with a TD strike to Jack Bech.
The scoring drive was a beauty — 93 yards on 16 plays with Jeanty tough runs, Cousins precision nine-for-nine passes and a 15-yard TD pass to receiver Bech. Cousins hit six different Raiders pass-catchers on the season’s initial drive.
Raiders placekicker Matt Gay booted a 47-yard field goal with 10:22 left in the second quarter and the Silver & Black enjoyed a 10-0 lead.
After a Dolphins field goal, the Raiders countered with another Cousins TD pass. This time, it was 13-yard strike to Jeanty and the Raiders enjoyed a 17-3 lead with 1:07 left in the first half.
Cousins looked sharp, completing 14 of 17 and his two TD passes gave him 300 career passing touchdowns.
Jeanty had 43 yards rushing on seven carries.
Halftime: Raiders 17 Dolphins 6
After Cousins was picked off, the Dolphins’ quarterback, Malik Willis, ran 14 yards for a TD. But the Raiders bounced back with a Cousins 13-yard TD pass to Jeanty before added a Matt Gay 30-yard FG for a 27-13 lead late in the third quarter.
Cousins was disappointed that he threw two interceptions.
“Those are on me,” Cousins said after the game.
A balanced attack was pivotal for the Raiders, with 146 passing yards and 136 rushing.
Jeanty ran 23 times for 102 yards.
“He’s a big reason why we won,” Cousins said. “He’s a talented runner . . . he’s able to get to the edge. Instead of a one- or two-yard gain it’s an eight-yard gain.”
He also praised the offensive line anchored by new center Tyler Linderbaum, who signed a three-year $81 million contract including guaranteed $60 million.
Gay’s field goal wrapped up the scoring.
The Raiders defense, anchored by defensive end Maxx Crosby, held tight and sealed the 27-13 win.
The next Raiders home game is Oct. 4 when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town.
PSA
We’re turning 10 years old in 2027!
