Klint Kubiak’s Las Vegas Raiders kicked off their 2026 campaign exactly as expected, rolling over the Miami Dolphins 27-13 this past Sunday. Look, the Dolphins are in a full-on teardown, new GM, new head coach, so this was a straight up gimme for Vegas. Nobody’s shocked they handled business at Allegiant Stadium. But what really matters is how they played, and what’s coming next.
New Culture? These Raiders Showed Glimmers of Something Different
Let’s be real, previous versions of the Raiders would’ve folded under pressure like a cheap suit. When things went sideways, it was always an avalanche. But against Miami, we saw some real glimmers of a new culture, something different. Remember the Dolphins’ long 79-yard kickoff return? Practice squad call-up Cody White came flying in with an outstanding pure hustle play that kept it from becoming a touchdown. That play lit a fire under the defense, inspiring them to rise up and force a field goal try which, by the way, Miami missed! Even after a Dolphins interception led to a touchdown, the Raiders didn’t just crumble. That’s big time for a team general manager John Spytek and rookie head coach Kubiak are trying to rebuild. Ashton Jeanty even said it, “We’re building a new culture and that’s a culture that’s going to win football games.” You love to hear that. Maxx Crosby echoed it, “Klint (Kubiak) has talked about it, this stadium we have to make it ours and it starts with winning.”
The Real Gauntlet is Here, And Kubiak Knows It
Now, the rubber meets the road. That 27-13 win against a rebuilding Miami squad? It’s basically ancient history. The Raiders are now staring down a five-game slate that is absolutely brutal, featuring competition way superior to what Miami put on the field. They’re about to lock horns with the Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills, before finishing that tough stretch with the Los Angeles Rams on October 25. Seriously, read that list again. It’s a murderer’s row. Kubiak himself knows exactly what’s up. He was asked about playing top-level competition and he didn’t mince words this past Monday, “Yes. I mean, you learn something new every day in practice. You learn something new during the games. It’s a lot more stress going on. You learn a lot about your coaches too. You learn about your training staff, your strength staff. You learn about everybody in this pressure cooker that we work in, and that’s what makes the NFL so fun. So yes, there’s a tough stretch coming up because that’s what the NFL is, but we just try to look one game at a time.”
That “one game at a time” mentality is exactly what a rookie head coach and his rebuilding squad needs. It’s not about dismissing the Dolphins win; it’s about being ready for what’s next. First up in this brutal stretch? The Los Angeles Chargers. Can Kubiak’s new culture hold up against the NFL’s heavyweights? We’re about to find out how real this new Raiders identity truly is.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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