Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins began his voyage in Silver and Black with a 27-13 win over the Miami Dolphins. Cousins didn’t need to be the star or the main reason the Raiders won the game; instead, he deferred to Ashton Jeabty. The second year back carried the team, finishing with 103 yards on 23 carries.
On top of that, he added six catches for 45 yards and two touchdowns. While Cousins did throw two interceptions, those seemed like a bit of aggressiveness instead of caution, which you can do with a lead.
Cousins completed 70% of his passes, throwing for 160 yards and three touchdowns. After the game, he spoke about the win and what it means to him.
“It was complimentary football. Our defense had a great plan, a great rush. The special team gave us a great field position. Made plays all game long. We ran the football. That’s how you win in this league, with all three phases.
While that does sound cliché, Cousins is absolutely correct. The offense hummed along smoothly, while the defense, which spent all of last season surrendering big plays like it was their job, actually contained the Dolphins. Miami tallied 259 yards of total offense.
🏈 @KirkCousins8‘s first win with the @Raiders is in the books.@JenHale504 spoke with the QB. pic.twitter.com/i1R0rgBc9G
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 13, 2026
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The System Pays Dividends
Cousins is quite familiar with Klint Kubiak from his days as his offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. Yet over time, Kubiak tinkered with and expanded that system, giving the veteran quarterback a scheme to build on.
Learning a new system with Klint [Kubiak] takes time, but the guys came out hungry today. We built trust during training camp, and it translated right onto the field.”
Last year, the Raiders endured the Chip Kelly offense, which seemed to change from snap to snap. With Kubiak’s precision, the team executed, converting 5 of 13 third-down attempts.
Early in training camp, Cousins mentioned that he was not a member of the Riaders to act as a mentor. Rookie Fernando Mendoza would learn by doing and would need to wrest control of the team from him. As a result, the rookie may sit for longer than originally anticipated. If the Raiders keep winning as they did against the Dolphins, Mewondoza may only see garbage time. Yet, any speculation regarding a quarterback change still feels rather premature.
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said Kirk Cousins “came ready to play” against Miami.
“Great start to the game. Two decisions he’s got to have back, but that’s the nature of the position.”
More: pic.twitter.com/cVaRj3x1qJ
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) September 13, 2026
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Focus
The Raiders do not have a true, bona fide No. 1 wide receiver. At best, they may have a collection of twos, threes, and fours. Yet the initial thought was that Brock Bowers could be the focal point of the offense at tight end. Yet another injury jumped up and grabbed the standout. In his stead, Michael Mayer caught six of his seven targets, operating primarily as a chain mover. Plus, with Jeanty becoming a more pronounced threat out of the backfield, the Raiders may not need a wideout to step up and dominate. Speaking of Jeanty, Cousins praised the rusher’s performance.
Ashton is a special talent. When given space, he takes on the challenging tasks. He made my job easy out there today.”
Kirk Cousins ➡️ Jack Bech for the first TD of the game!
MIAvsLV on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/uBKuj659cn— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
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Enjoy Now, Move On
Granted, the Raiders, after a nightmare season, will enjoy the win, but the team still needs to focus on next week. Las Vegas has a divisional game against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road at SoFi Stadium. The veteran quarterback is cognizant of events.
“We enjoyed this one in the locker room, but in this league, you have to turn the page fast. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.”
One victory does mean a great deal for that week. Yet, the Raiders have 16 more games to go. Can they maintain the momentum?
27-13 Statement: Raiders Weaponize Complementary Football to Stun Dolphins