The Las Vegas Raiders are riding high at 2-0 for the first time since 2021, a pretty sweet start if you ask me. Their new head coach, Klint Kubiak, has become the first guy to kick off his tenure 2-0 since Bill Callahan pulled it off all the way back in 2002. You’d think that kind of early success would have him celebrating, maybe a little boastful, right? But Kubiak isn’t letting anyone in the locker room, or any fan out there, get ahead of themselves, delivering a massive truth bomb that should sober up anyone already planning a parade route.
Pump the Brakes, Seriously
Kubiak isn’t messing around, folks. After winning two straight, snagging one at home and another in Los Angeles with what sounds like a surprisingly friendly crowd on hand, he hit us all with the cold, hard facts in his Monday press conference. “I enjoy that our team is 2-0, our organization is 2-0,” he said, and you’re nodding along, right? Sounds good so far, pure positivity. Then came the absolute kicker, the words that instantly changed the vibe: **”No one’s made the playoffs going 2-0.”** Whoa. Talk about throwing a bucket of ice water on an early season hype train. He’s essentially telling everyone, “Yeah, it’s nice, it feels good, but it means absolutely squat in the grand scheme of things right now.” That’s the kind of brutally honest, no-nonsense leadership you gotta respect from a coach trying to build something real, even if it crushes a little bit of that immediate joy for the fan base.
Reinforcing the Message, One Game at a Time
So, why the immediate downplay, why throw shade on a perfect start? Kubiak clearly sees this hot start as valuable fuel for reinforcing the core messages he’s been hammering home since day one. He’s seeing real evidence that his guys are “very coachable,” and that “winning is important to this team, it’s important to this coaching staff.” That’s a massive win for any new coach trying to establish a rock-solid culture. It tells you this early success isn’t just some fluke; it’s a direct result of the effort and buy-in from the players. But he’s also making sure everyone remembers how quickly things can flip. The guy’s got “short memories,” preaching that you “can only win one at a time.” It’s classic coach-speak, for sure, but man, it’s spot on. You win two, you get that good feeling, then you hit the reset button immediately. He’s not letting them get high on their own supply; it’s all about staying grounded and locked in.
They’re “turning the page” already, just like Kubiak said, and gearing up for their next challenge. That’s a tough road trip to New Orleans to face a “really good Saints team” in Week 3. This isn’t some cupcake game; it’s going to be a true test, potentially a sneaky good one, as the source pointed out. For Kubiak and his squad, this next game is a massive litmus test for that “one at a time” mentality he’s pushing. Can they maintain that laser focus, that coachability, and keep proving that winning truly is important, even after getting a dose of early season reality? We’ll find out if this momentum is actually for real, or just a fleeting moment, when they step onto that field in New Orleans and put his philosophy to the ultimate test.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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