Klint Kubiak’s debut victory and Ashton Jeanty’s breakout performance failed to sway analysts, leaving Las Vegas stuck near the bottom of the league despite a promising start.
The Las Vegas Raiders began the new era with Klint Kubiak as the head coach with a win over the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.
Kubiak received the game ball after the 27-13 win in his regular season debut, and there were a lot of positives for Las Vegas after a rough 2025 season and a failed year with Pete Carroll as the head coach.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins had an up-and-down performance, but it was enough to get the win, and it sure doesn't seem like Kubiak will make a change until Cousins plays badly.
Following the Week 1 games, Nick Shook of NFL.com had power rankings, but the Raiders stayed at No. 29, which was right where they were going into Week 1.
It seems odd, but then again, defeating the Dolphins isn't exactly much of a statement.
The Dolphins are at No. 30 in these rankings, and they actually moved up from No. 32 with the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland browns holding the last two spots, respectively.
"The Raiders received the most favorable draw for Klint Kubiak’s head-coaching debut and handled business, overcoming two turnovers to build a two-score lead that was threatened but ultimately held through the final whistle. Most encouraging: Ashton Jeanty finally delivered a game that matched the expectations he brought with him from Boise State," Shook wrote.
Second-year running back Ashton Jeanty had a massive game and it brought back Boise State memories, as Shook wrote.
Last season was rough for Jeanty, and it didn't help that Chip Kelly called the plays until he was fired, and Geno Smith turned the ball over quite a bit.
This offseason, the Raiders invested in the offensive line, and Kubiak's offensive ability as a play-caller is already an upgrade over anything the team had last season.
Still, for the team that had the worst record in the NFL and the No. 1 pick, getting a win to begin the season is huge.
The Raiders will next face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in LA, although Justin Herbert's team is coming off a stunning loss to the Arizona Cardinals in perhaps the biggest upset of Week 1.
If the Raiders can pull off a win, there is no doubt they will skyrocket up these power rankings when the next edition is released.
For Kubiak, his head coaching career is off to a 1-0 start.
