3 Reasons To Be Confident Raiders Will Win Week 1

The Las Vegas Raiders are 10 days away from kicking off their 2026 NFL season when they take on the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.

On Wednesday, head coach Klint Kubiak officially named Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback, which was the assumption since the beginning of the offseason. With that known and the 53-man roster officially set, Las Vegas is now turning its attention to that Week 1 matchup against the lowly Dolphins. With that in mind, here are three reasons Raiders fans should feel very confident about their team leaving the season opener victorious.

The Dolphins Are Simply Not Good

Aug 8, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis (2) throws the football during practice at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Miami enters this season knowing that they are bottoming out, as their five biggest contracts on the team - Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and Jalen Ramsey - are all not on the current roster. Those players account for almost $140 million in dead cap charges.

The Dolphins have the worst wide receiver corps in the league, with Malik Washington arguably the WR1 on the roster. Quite frankly, other than running back Devon Achane and quarterback Malik Willis, Miami lacks talent across the board. There's a strong possibility the Dolphins will have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Kubiak's Scheme Is Elite

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak calls a play against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Trim-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While this will hold for the entire season, the 39-year-old head coach should be capable of thoroughly exposing an uninspiring Dolphins defense that lacks talent. No matter how you view Cousins and the Raiders' wide receivers, the Raiders have more than enough to produce in an offensive scheme that has elevated average players on the other organizations Kubiak has been at during his career.

Even if you are someone who believes Cousins is susceptible to turning the ball over with underwhelming arm strength, you need to acknowledge that Las Vegas can turn around and hand the ball to either Ashton Jeanty or Mike Washington Jr.

Revamped Defense Will Be Flying

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) prepare to enter the field before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raiders' front office rebuilt the defense this offseason in free agency, signing several players, including Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. You add those pieces to Maxx Crosby, who is even more motivated after what happened this offseason, and Las Vegas boasts a much-improved unit.

Crosby has an opportunity to single-handedly wreck the Dolphins' operation because the offensive line is outright awful. Again, winning this game wouldn't be overly impressive, but the Raiders need to leave Week 1 with a 1-0 record. If you have any worries about Las Vegas' chances to win this contest, you simply shouldn't.

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