What Raiders Need More of in Week 2 and Beyond

The Las Vegas Raiders' Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins came down to several different factors. The Raiders relied on a mix of long, productive drives on offense and a suffocating defense to keep the game out of Miami's reach.

Las Vegas' season-opening win was the type of complementary football that has eluded them in recent seasons. They were far from perfect, but the Raiders performed well in all phases of the game last Sunday. Yet, those phases included more than just their offense and defense.

Well-Rounded Raiders

The Raiders also played well on special teams. The unit is often overlooked because, for years, special teams rarely created explosive plays, let alone impactful ones. Making special teams more impactful helped drive the league's recently implemented kickoff rules.

The change in the kickoff rules has paved the way for many players to get playing time they otherwise wouldn't. It has completely changed not only the game itself on Sundays, but also the trajectory of certain players' careers. Las Vegas' win over the Dolphins further confirmed both.

Life-Changing Opportunities

As the Raiders move on to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, their chances of winning will largely hinge on their ability to do many of the things they did in Week 1. Las Vegas' second game under Klint Kubiak will be one of their 16 remaining chances to prove Week 1 was not an anomaly.

To do that, they will need to run the ball and play well on defense like they did last Sunday. However, arguably just as important will be their special-teams performance. Last week, running back Dylan Laube returned two kickoffs for nearly 100 yards.

His two returns significantly impacted the game by giving Las Vegas' offense great field position to start multiple drives. Starting drives with solid field position is an added benefit for any offense, especially one still in its early stages like Las Vegas'.

As the Raiders continue to build a new reality after years of disappointing results, strong contributions from their special teams unit will be pivotal. Raiders special teams coach Joe DeCamillis recently shared his thoughts on the young group.

“They've done a good job. I thought, obviously, the one play that hurt us last week was the long return. I believe in the league there were 10 returns over the plus 45-yard line last week, which everyone says is a dynamic play,” DeCamillis said.

“I'd say it's a volatile play. That's what I would say. But I think that the young guys have really gotten into it. I think our older guys have too. They're really buying in, doing what we want them to do. And I'm encouraged by what we did last week, but I'm not totally satisfied. That's for sure."

Las Vegas' rebuild is in its infancy. The Raiders' front office and coaching staff know it will take much more than one offseason to fully turn things around. However, solid roster building and coaching lead to winning, which helps expedite rebuilds over time.

Adding a quality group of returnmen and special teams players who can impact every game is a threat the Raiders haven't had in a while. Week 1 is a small sample size, but it was enough to show what is possible for Las Vegas when they get their special teams unit going.

Most games will not see as many things go the Raiders' way as they did in Week 1. They will eventually face a team that can slow down their developing offense and move the ball against a much-improved defense. Whether that happens or not, special teams can be a deciding factor.

The Raiders' coaching staff has worked hard to ensure all three units have ample practice time to make real growth and progress. That effort gave Las Vegas an immediate return on that investment.

As they progress through the rest of the 2026 season, Las Vegas' special teams unit will be worth keeping an eye on. Playing well on special teams is a part of complementary football, too.

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