It was a sight to behold: Kirk Cousins at the line in a rare victory formation. Raiders win!
It’s been a long time, but now Raiders fans can get used to it. Odds are that Sunday’s 27-13 victory at Allegiant Stadium over the Miami Dolphins won’t be the last time we’ll see it this season.
Moreover, the game was well-coached; the offense was solid, as were the defense and special teams. Bottom line: The Raiders were a competent team.
The defense set the tone, stopping the Dolphins at 3rd and 15 at the Raiders’ 50 on the first drive. Overall, the Raiders D gave up only 13 points, collected five sacks, and held the Dolphins to 2-for-10 in third down, and 74 total yards rushing.
Maxx Crosby wasn’t a one-person show on defense, as he had been all too often in the past. Free agent Kwity Paye had two sacks; Nakobe Dean delivered a much-needed sack on third down that forced the Dolphins to kick a field goal that was no good; safety Jeremy Chinn forced running back Malik Washington to fumble, which Dean recovered to seal the win; Quay Walker hounded QB Malik Willis all day; and rookie safety Treydan Stokes got an INT.
The offense performed very well, exactly what Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, Raiders general manager John Spytek, and owners Tom Brady and Mark Davis envisioned this season. The team ran the ball and scored touchdowns.
Ashton Jeanty ran at will, especially in the third quarter. He didn’t show any effects from the ankle injury he suffered in training camp, running for 102 yards on 23 carries. He also scored two touchdowns on six catches for 45 yards.
Graphic courtesy Raiders
Special teams contributed mightily. A.J. Cole’s first punt came at 14:07 in the fourth quarter, and that showed fans just how well things went for the Silver and Black on this Sunday.
QB Kirk Cousins started the game going 10-for-10 in drives and finished with a three-touchdown day, and finished the game 21-of-30 and 160 yards. He looked like the vetern he is, orchestrating the offense with ease. Cousins read the defense well, never panicking and forcing throws. It was an historic day for Cousins, too. His TDs enabled him to pass John Elway on the NFL’s most touchdown list. Cousins now ranks 14th on the all-time list.
]The Raiders are not back yet, but they are getting there. Next up is Sunday vs. Los Angeles Chargers, who are clearly a step up from the lowly Dolphins. That said, LAC is beatable, as shown by yesterday’s 26-14 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
There was optimism heading into this season, and now Raider Nation can truly enjoy today’s “Victory Monday.”
