The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Miami Dolphins in an impressive Week 1 win. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and his staff put together a strong game plan that helped them secure a season-opening home win.
The Raiders' front office had one of the league's most productive offseasons, making franchise-changing coaching and roster moves. The win over the Dolphins unleashed the new-look Raiders for the first time. It was a sight to behold for a Raiders team that has struggled mightily recently.
Las Vegas set the tone early, turning two early defensive stops into a quick lead they never relinquished. The Raiders played nearly a full game of complementary football for the first time in a long time. The result was a sound win for a largely rebuilt Raiders team.
Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks with media after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Coming off an impressive first series by their defense, Las Vegas' offense was playing with house money. Not only did the defense look solid on their first drive of the game against Miami, but the Raiders deferred until the second half. So, they were essentially up an extra possession.
The Raiders had the ball on the Dolphins' 34-yard line. They could have easily kicked a field goal and gone up by three points, but by going for it on fourth-and-one and converting, Kubiak and his coaching staff sent a message. Under Kubiak, Las Vegas will not be afraid of well-calculated risks.
Las Vegas was up by double digits for nearly the entire game. They took an 11-point lead into halftime and won by 14. Still, there was a decision that was made on the very first offensive drive of the game and Kubiak's tenure that may have seemed insignificant but was actually critical.
As critical as the decision was to go for it, the play call itself mattered just as much. Las Vegas lined fullback Connor Heyward under center. The unorthodox call likely helped secure the first down, which was initially called a turnover on downs before a review overturned the call.
Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins shared his thoughts on Heyward's fourth-down conversion. The play undoubtedly helped Las Vegas gain momentum and keep it for most of the game. As with any game, there were plenty of important plays. Few were more important than that one.
Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak reacts to a touchdown in the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"He brings a ton of value. I mean, I've played in a system similar to this many times with fullbacks who may have been afterthoughts in other systems that don't use a fullback, and then when you do use one, you realize how valuable they can be to your offense," Cousins said following the win over Miami.
"We ask a lot of Connor [Heyward] in protection in the run game, catching the football, and that's really the value of a fullback is what they can- the Swiss Army knife-they can be. So he's someone we can put a lot on, and we trust him, and he's another guy with great energy in the huddle. He just wants to be there, wants to get better, and it's fun to play with a guy like that."
Kicking a field goal was the easy answer. Considering how things have gone for the Raiders in recent seasons, no one would have blamed the Raiders for taking the points in that situation. Turning down the field goal and converting the fourth down spoke volumes. Kubiak's Raiders are here to win.
Recent Raiders coaches likely would have taken the three points, just to ensure a score. Past Raiders regimes would have been satisfied with that and lived with whatever happened from there.
Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington (6) protects the ball from Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Going for it on fourth down on your opponent's 34-yard line is a gamble regardless of the team. It was the move a first-year head coach hired for his offensive play-calling ability should make. It led to a Raiders touchdown on a drive that took nine minutes off the game clock.
After Las Vegas' offseason work and roster moves, their coach made the right call by trusting the unit. However, the trust Kubiak showed in that call went beyond just the offense. Kubiak's decision to go for it also showed confidence that the Raiders' defense would keep playing well.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Analyzing Biggest Decision Kubiak, Raiders Made vs. Dolphins .
