Raiders 27, Dolphins 13: Cousins Wins His Vegas Debut Through Ashton Jeanty
Kirk Cousins threw three touchdowns — two of them to his running back — as Las Vegas controlled its season opener and left Miami's new-look offense searching for answers.
The Kirk Cousins era in Las Vegas opened with a comfortable 27-13 win over Miami on September 13, and it looked exactly the way the Raiders drew it up: efficient quarterbacking, a heavy dose of Ashton Jeanty, and a defense that made life miserable for Malik Willis.
Cousins' box score — 21-of-30 for 160 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions — tells the story of a dink-and-distribute plan that leaned on his second-year back. Jeanty ground out 102 rushing yards on 23 carries and added six catches for 45 yards with two receiving touchdowns, both from 13 yards out. Rookie Jack Bech opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter.
How it unfolded
Las Vegas led 17-6 at halftime after Bech's score, a Jeanty touchdown catch and a field goal. Willis — Miami's starter after the franchise moved on from Tua Tagovailoa and signed him in the offseason — briefly made it a game with a 14-yard touchdown scramble early in the third quarter to cut the lead to 17-13. Cousins answered almost immediately with his second touchdown pass to Jeanty, and a late field goal sealed it.
Willis finished 15-of-27 for 220 yards with an interception and five sacks absorbed. The brightest spot for Miami was rookie receiver Caleb Douglas, whose 94 yards on five catches set a franchise record for receiving yards in a Dolphins debut.
What it means
The Raiders got a 1-0 start without asking Cousins to push the ball downfield, and Jeanty's 147 scrimmage yards suggest the offense will run through him in both phases. For the Dolphins, the opener raised the questions the offseason invited: Willis flashed with his legs, but five sacks and a stalled second half leave plenty to fix before a Week 2 date with the 49ers. Las Vegas visits the Chargers next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi4dvOh4tPA