Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns Sunday, two to running back Ashton Jeanty, and the Las Vegas Raiders opened their season with a 27-13 win over the visiting Miami Dolphins.
Cousins, who signed with Las Vegas this offseason after spending the last two seasons with the Falcons, completed 21 of 30 passes for 160 yards and two interceptions. He leaned heavily on Jeanty, who rushed for 102 yards on 23 carries and caught six passes for a team-high 45 yards. Las Vegas controlled the ball for 34:53 and finished with 290 total yards.
Malik Willis hit 15 of 27 passes for 220 yards and an interception in his first start for Miami while running for its only touchdown. The Dolphins managed just 259 total yards and converted only 2 of 10 third downs. Willis absorbed five sacks.
Willis scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown just four plays after Cousins’ first interception, bringing Miami within 17-13 at the 12:44 mark of the third quarter. But Las Vegas responded just five plays later when Cousins hit Jeanty for a 13-yard strike with 9:58 on the clock.
On their next possession, the Raiders churned out a drive of just over seven minutes, resulting in Matt Gay’s 30-yard field goal with 2:34 left in the third that gave them a 14-point advantage.
The result gave Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak, the son of former NFL coach and quarterback Gary Kubiak, a win in his debut with the team. It also spoiled the first game for new Miami coach Jeff Hafley.
Cousins initiated scoring with 1:33 left in the first quarter when he found Jack Bech for a 15-yard touchdown pass, ending a 16-play, 93-yard drive that lasted just shy of nine minutes. Cousins completed all nine passes on the drive for 64 yards.
Gay made it 10-0 on Las Vegas’ next possession by bombing a 47-yard field goal with 10:22 left in the first half. The Dolphins got on the board when Riley Patterson converted a 41-yarder with 4:08 remaining, but Cousins put the Raiders up 17-3 when he found Jeanty on a 13-yard scoring strike with 1:07 left in the first half.
