The Raiders have a long way to go before anyone mistakes them for Super Bowl contenders. And by no means did Sunday’s 27-13 win over the Dolphins answer all of their questions.
If we’re keeping it a buck, they still have a long way to go.
But their first victory under Klint Kubiak offered something more meaningful than another promise that better days are coming.
There was evidence.
In the running lanes, the pass protection and a defense that shared the workload, the Raiders gave themselves reasons to believe they are finally moving in the right direction.
There was still plenty to clean up. Kirk Cousins threw two interceptions, a special teams breakdown opened the door to a 79-yard kickoff return, and lapses in pass coverage offered reminders of how much work remains.
Better opponents will make those mistakes more expensive.
But for a team that won just three games last year, an offense that averaged a measly 14.2 points, and a defense that rarely rose to the occasion, Sunday provided legitimate reason for optimism.
And they did it without star tight end Brock Bowers, who underwent minor knee surgery on Tuesday and was ruled out for Sunday.
Here are the key takeaways the Raiders victory:
Ashton Jeanty does not have to do it alone
That was one of the more encouraging developments for the Raiders against the Dolphins, when Jeanty and rookie Mike Washington Jr. offered a glimpse of what this backfield can become.
Jeanty is the centerpiece, a runner whose combination of balance, power, and explosiveness gives the Raiders someone to build an offense around. But Washington showed why having a capable running mate can make that centerpiece even more dangerous.
Together they combined for 143 rushing yards, with Jeanty adding six catches for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Their effectiveness gave the Raiders two backs to lean on and an intriguing formula moving forward: Let Jeanty lead the way, with Washington helping carry the workload and keeping the pressure on opposing defenses.
For Kubiak, that opens possibilities. For Jeanty, it offers the chance to stay fresh without the offense sacrificing its commitment to the run.
And his ceiling should be viewed accordingly.
An eventual NFL Offensive Player of the Year candidacy belongs in the conversation. Getting there will require sustained production, better play around him and an offense that consistently creates opportunities to showcase his gifts.
But the talent makes that a reasonable ambition.
Sunday offered an encouraging glimpse of that future. Washington’s emergence, which had been hyped in training camp, could help Jeanty get there with something left.
Maxx Crosby might finally have some help
Maxx Crosby has spent enough Sundays trying to drag the Raiders’ defense toward respectability.
Against the Dolphins, he finally had some company.
It showed up in the pass rush, at linebacker and in a secondary that played with the kind of confidence that comes from having the speed to close ground and the willingness to hit when it gets there.
For once, finding a defensive playmaker did not require immediately looking for No. 98.
Free-agent addition Kwity Paye contributed two sacks, giving the Raiders another disruptive presence up front. Nakobe Dean delivered one of the afternoon’s most consequential plays, dropping Malik Willis on third down in the third quarter to force a field-goal attempt.
Miami missed, preserving the Raiders’ 27-13 lead.
Dean also came up with a fourth-quarter fumble recovery when safety Jeremy Chinn punched the ball out of Malik Washington’s hands. The turnover clinched the win.
Those are the moments when another defender has to take ownership of a possession. Dean did.
Fellow newcomer Quay Walker was all over the field, adding range and activity to a linebacker group that looked capable of getting to the football and arriving with purpose.
Behind them, rookie safety Treydan Stukes offered an encouraging introduction. He piled up tackles, stayed tight in coverage and added an interception, showing how much a young defensive back can influence a game beyond simply avoiding mistakes.
Together, they made the Raiders look as athletic and physical as they have in years while coming up with five sacks and forcing two turnovers.
They also played smart football, pairing that aggression with the awareness to make plays when situations demanded them.
Now comes the necessary perspective: This was Miami. Better offenses and quarterbacks will provide a more demanding examination of how far this defense has come.
But Crosby, who came up with a key fourth-quarter sack on third down to force a Dolphins punt, then combined with Paye on another sack to force yet another punt, cannot be the entire plan every week.
Sunday offered evidence that he no longer has to be.
The Raiders gave him teammates who could change possessions themselves. That is where meaningful defensive improvement begins.
Big step forward for the offensive line
For an offensive line that spent last season getting pushed around, Sunday represented a considerable step toward pushing back.
And taking the Raiders’ offense along with it.
The Raiders had 130 rushing yards against the Dolphins, giving Jeanty and Washington Jr. room to work and Cousins an offense with some balance.
Consider where this group started.
Last season, the Raiders averaged just 77.5 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry. Their 1,317 rushing yards were 272 fewer than the next closest team.
That was the foundation beneath the league’s worst offense. Too often, the Raiders could neither establish the run nor provide the protection necessary to compensate for its absence.
Against Miami, the improvement showed up in both the running lanes and the protection around Cousins.
There are reasons for that. A healthy Kolton Miller gives the Raiders stability at left tackle. Jackson Powers-Johnson and veteran Spencer Burford bolster the interior, with All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum providing the anchor this group desperately needed.
At right tackle, DJ Glaze already looks like a player taking a meaningful step forward.
But this is about more than the names across the line. Kubiak’s scheme and offensive line coach Rick Dennison’s teaching are giving the group a clearer purpose and a more cohesive approach. The pieces look better individually. More encouragingly, they are beginning to function better together.
That progress was evident throughout training camp. Against the Dolphins, it finally had an opponent and a scoreboard attached to it.
Cousins consistently had time to throw, allowing him to survey the field and give routes a chance to develop. That matters for any quarterback. For a veteran whose effectiveness depends heavily on anticipation and operating from the pocket, it is essential.
Meanwhile, the running game gave the Raiders a reason to keep handing the ball off. Every productive carry expanded Klint Kubiak’s options and made the offense less predictable.
One afternoon does not erase last season or settle every question about this group. The opponents will get better. More disruptive defensive fronts will test its communication, technique and ability to adjust.
But improvement has to begin somewhere.
For the Raiders, it began with a line giving its runners space and its quarterback time.
After last season, that qualifies as a massive step forward.
Now comes doing it again.
