LAS VEGAS -- Klint Kubiak was giddy.
He jumped to high-five fans as he ran off the field, victorious in his first game as an NFL head coach. He felt the love afterward in the locker room, where he was given a game ball by general manager John Spytek and engulfed by gleeful players.
"It meant a lot to me," Kubiak said of the celebration. "Really appreciative of the guys. It's great to share this moment with them."
Of course, Raiders coaches have experienced this feeling before. Just over a year ago, they walked into Gillette Stadium and beat the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots in Week 1, giving Pete Carroll a win in his first game as the team's head coach. After that game, Carroll said they earned the right to enjoy "that kind of fun and (to) cheer on one another." That sentiment faded fast as the Raiders went on to win two more games over the rest of the season, clinching the league's worst record and costing Carroll his job.
The Raiders would like to follow a different trajectory this fall. The players believe they can with Kubiak at the helm -- second-year wide receiver Jack Bech said the win "definitely does" feel different from the opening win of last year.
"I think just the amount of work, the amount of detail that we have, it's something like I've never been a part of before," Bech said after the game. "Being able to do this, being able to build on this, come back in tomorrow and get right back to work, it's gonna be awesome."
Whether Kubiak can actually bring success over a full season is yet to be determined. And with the Miami Dolphins predicted to be among the league's worst teams, who knows how much value can be put into Sunday's win. But Kubiak's debut provided some signs that better days could be coming, and that he might be the coach to finally bring competency to the franchise.
Las Vegas dominated the trenches against the Dolphins. Quarterback Kirk Cousins wasn't sacked once, and the running back duo of Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. combined for 143 yards rushing on just under 4.8 yards per carry. The offensive line was the demise of the Raiders a year ago, when they allowed the league's most sacks (64) and never gave Jeanty room to run. The addition of prize free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum made an impact, but Kubiak and his staff also got strong performances out of three holdovers from the 2025 team.
Right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson was pleased with how the group played, saying it was "awesome" to open holes for Jeanty to have his third career 100-yard rushing game, adding that keeping Cousins upright was "a point of pride." But he also believes they can be better.
"I feel like it's fun, but there's so much room for growth," Powers-Johnson said. "That's the main point of emphasis: that we can get better. That's the best part about it."
The Raiders also overcame the loss of Brock Bowers, who missed the season opener after undergoing a recent surgery on his knee. The Pro Bowl tight end was set up to be the focal point of Kubiak's scheme. Losing a star like Bowers might have torpedoed Raiders teams of old, but Kubiak found ways to move forward, relying on Jeanty and the run game to pace their attack and myriad receivers to pick up the slack.
There were improvements on defense, too. Throughout the preseason, the Raiders struggled to rush the passer and defend the run against non-developmental competition. Quarterbacks had lots of time to throw, and backs such as the Arizona Cardinals' Jeremiyah Love and Houston Texans' Woody Marks gashed the Raiders on the ground. Against Miami, Las Vegas totaled five sacks and 17 pressures, according to TruMedia, and held Dolphins star De'Von Achane to just 36 rushing yards.
The Raiders struggled to force turnovers a season ago, with defensive backs totaling just five interceptions. Rookie safety Treydan Stukes was able to notch the team's first pick Sunday, setting up the offense for its final score. Safety Jeremy Chinn forced a fumble on the Dolphins' final drive, allowing the Raiders' offense to salt away a victory.
"All I see is the blurs of the Silver and Black on defense," Kubiak said. "I love the way our defense played, how they swarmed, how they turned the ball over, how they responded to sudden change. Very proud of them."
In the postgame locker room, Kubiak told his team to enjoy the moment. His players did, but with a sense of confidence, possibly the biggest sign of change under Kubiak's leadership.
"This is a new team, new staff, and we're building a new culture here," Jeanty said. "And that's a culture that's going to win football games."
The Raiders' postgame atmosphere was one of self-assurance rather than exuberance. As players recounted the game, they spoke as if they had fulfilled their responsibilities as they should. The team felt like it was supposed to win; there was no surprise in the result.
When asked about the difference between the two season-opening victories, returning players said they feel that this time around they're staying present. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, who had 1.5 sacks in his return from a season-ending knee injury last year, said the team is doing a much better job of "being where we're at."
"Every single day and every moment, every meeting, every practice is important," Crosby said. "Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do to get to next Sunday. But just being where our feet are and just taking one day at a time, I think we'll be exactly where we need to be."
Instead of focusing on the win, players were already consumed by the steps required to earn the next one. Tight end Michael Mayer, the team's leader in targets Sunday, said that mindset has been instilled in them by Kubiak.
"We feel really good about this one, but there's a lot of stuff we're excited to also clean up," Mayer said. "There's kind of an in-between there that Klint's very good at and that the whole organization is very good at."
As Mayer talked about his coach's strengths, Kubiak surprised him from the side and embraced him, as he did many of the players before leaving Allegiant Stadium. Mayer thinks Kubiak is the one who is going to truly change the Raiders as a franchise.
"He's a great person and a great football mind," Mayer said. "You just want to learn so much from him, and you're kind of attracted to his knowledge. You just want to learn everything. And I'll tell you what: That guy knows a lot about football. He's been around football. He grew up in football, and I've learned so much from him already."
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
