The Las Vegas Raiders open the 2026 season at home at Allegiant Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. With the preseason now behind us, we have had three games to try to decipher what this team is all about. Let’s take a stab at how the Raiders are going to beat the Dolphins.
First things first, we must acknowledge that the Dolphins parted ways with former head coach Mike McDaniel and began the tear down stage of a rebuild. Currently, the Dolphins feature a quarterback making his first NFL season-opener
starting as the guy, an explosive running back, no more Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle or Darren Waller and an offensive line with question marks. The defense is filled with guys yet to prove themselves and a new coordinator and coaching staff.
Win the line of scrimmage on offense and defense
Games are won and lost in the trenches. It’s no surprise that a run-dominant team such as the Raiders would want to impose its will. Controlling the line of scrimmage and pushing defenders back will be the optimal first day out for the starting offensive line.
Defensively, this is a taller order. The return of Maxx Crosby will give the Raiders an elite presence at the edge. The interior is a different story altogether. Through the preseason, Folorunso Fatukasi has provided the most amount of push up the middle. Will he be a rotational piece, or will he be the starting nose tackle, remains to be seen. Miami’s primary weapon on offense is going to be its running back.
Contain Devon Achane
Achane is fast and explosive. If he has lanes to run through with blockers in front of him, it could make for a long day on defense. In the past, he was utilized primarily as an outside zone, stretch and counter runner. In new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s scheme, we should expect him to do more of the same.
If the Raiders can not control the line of scrimmage, they will be in a very bad way. Achane is the type of back who can and will put up career numbers in a hurry. More importantly, if he gets going, then he takes a ton of pressure off of his quarterback.
Don’t sleep on Malik Willis
Willis desperately needed a change of scenery after Jordan Love entrenched himself as the Packers quarterback of the future. In his last three starts, he went 2-1. Throwing for 972 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions, while completing 78.7% of his passes.
The Raiders have young defensive backs; if the running game is leaving them on an island, eventually the play-action pass is going to cook them. If the Raiders pass rush outside of Crosby is unable to corral Willis and allow him to break contain and run around, things could get ugly. Willis is a talented dual-threat quarterback looking to establish himself and the Raiders should tread carefully.
Keep Kirk protected
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins is a good quarterback capable of winning games in the NFL. Having a football player of the caliber of Brock Bowers will allow him to have success for as long as he has time to throw. The Raiders may be a run-first team, but Kubiak designed an offense in Seattle that made Sam Darnold the first USC quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl.
If the offensive line can do its job and keep defenders off of Cousins, he can stand in the pocket and do his thing. He will find the open receiver, get him the football in rhythm and place it where they can do something with it after the catch. Cousins will manage the Raiders to a win if kept upright.
