Dolphins vs. Raiders preview: An insider look at at Kubiak’s impact, Mendoza’s timeline, Miami’s game plan and more

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 27: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up before a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on August 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 49ers defeated the Raiders 18-12. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Miami Dolphins face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, kicking off the 2026 regular season with a matchup against another rebuilding team with a new coaching staff. Who are the Raiders in 2026 and what should the Dolphins expect to see this weekend? We turned to SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride to get a closer look at Las Vegas.

Matt Holder was kind enough to answer some of my questions about the Raiders. We took a look at new head coach Klint Kubiak; the debut timeline for first-overall draft pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza; how Miami can have success against the Raiders' defense; and, what the future for Las Vegas may be. You can check out the Raiders' side of our discussion below. My answers to Holder's Dolphins question will publish on Silver and Black Pride soon.

How well has the Raiders' offense transitioned out of Chip Kelly's system and into Klint Kubiak's? What do you expect from the Las Vegas offense on Sunday?

It was just the preseason, but the offense looked much more functional in the three drives that Kirk Cousins and the starting offense were on the field, coming away with points (one touchdown and two field goals) each time. The running game was dramatically different, with the offensive line actually gettingpush, and the offense was able to stay on schedule. Kubiak also used a good amount of personnel packages, going from three-wide to two tight-end sets and even mixing in a fullback to shake things up throughout the drive. In the passing game, there was a lot more play action, bootlegs and pick/rub routes to scheme pass-catchers open and make life easier for the quarterback.

Expectations for Sunday are hard to nail down with the recent news that Brock Bowers will be out. The offense was expected to run through Bowers, as he's hands down their best weapon in the passing game and overall player on that side of the ball. Now, I expect Kubiak to shift the focus to the rushing attack with backs Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr., especially since the latter looked really good in the preseason. I also imagine wide receiver Tre Tucker will have a much bigger role since he was expected to be the No. 2 pass-catcher behind Bowers. As far as a point or yardage total, I'm in a wait and see" mode because my expectations were already rather low with the dynamic tight end in the lineup.

The Raiders' offensive line last year was rough, but they seem to have been very deliberate in addressing the group this offseason, including signing center Tyler Linerbaum and guard Spencer Buford. How comfortable are you with the line this year? Is there a spot you think Miami can successfully create backfield pressure?

Honestly, I think the biggest offseason addition when it comes to the offensive line was well-tenured o-line coach Rick Dennison. Linderbaum was a great addition, and I'm excited to see how he can improve the running game. But a big part of the Raiders' problem in 2025 was that Pete Carroll hired his unqualified son, Brennan Carroll, to coach the unit. There were plenty of whispers that Brennan was in over his head during the season, and those have turned into loud roars over the last few months. There have been several reports that last year's linemen felt unprepared and like they weren't being coached properly. Meanwhile, Dennison comes in with about 30 years of NFL experience, and the difference was noticeablewith the second- and third-string offenses during the preseason. After last season, it was weird to see the Raiders' offensive line actually moving people in the running game, LOL!

So, I'm definitely more comfortable with the line heading into the season. Linderbaum was a necessary addition and a dramatic improvement over last year's starting center, Jordan Merdith, who was on the roster bubble and got traded for a sixth-, seventh-round pick swap at the end of trainingcamp. Also, this technically isn't an addition", but starting left tackle Kolton Miller only played four games last year after suffering a high-ankle sprain and hairline fracture in the same ankle. Having him back is a huge boost because Stone Forsythe, Miller's replacement last year, has literally been one of the worst left tackles in the league over the last several years.

One matchup in the trenches that has me worried is Chop Robinson against right tackle DJ Glaze.

One matchup in the trenches that has me worried is Chop Robinson against right tackle DJ Glaze. I know Robinson is coming off a down season where he battled injuries, but his speed and athleticism when fully healthy could give Glaze some issues. The latter has struggled with that in pass protection throughout his career, and Robinson got the best of him a few years ago when they faced off against each other in college. Penn State's athletic pass-rushers always gave the Maryland product trouble.

Another spot I'd test is Las Vegas' guards with defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who I think is one of the most underrated interior defenders in the league. I think the main reason Burford is starting is that he knows the offense; he and Kubiak worked together in San Francisco three years ago. But Burford was bad for the 49ers and ended up being a backup during his last two seasons there. At right guard, Jackson Powers-Johnson has shown flashes but has been inconsistent so far. He had to win his starting spot back during training camp and managed to do so, but at this point, you never know what you're going to get from JPJ.

What do you think is a reasonable timeline for the transitionfrom Kirk Cousins to Fernando Mendoza as the team's starting quarterback? What did you see from Mendoza this summer?

It's funny, I originally said Week 6 for Mendoza's first start. However, the schedule came out with the Rams slated for Week 7, and they added two first-ballot Hall of Fame pass-rushers over the summer. It's probably not a good idea to put the future of the franchise behind an offensive line that has question marks when Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald are on the other side. Now, I'm thinking Week 8 makes a little more sense. That gives the o-line enough time to gel together and the rookie quarterback a grace period to get more comfortable in the offense and the NFL as a whole.

I'd say Mendoza met expectations during training camp and the preseason. I like that he showed growth in working under center, going through his reads and throwing into tight windows over the middle. Those were three knocks" on him coming out of Indiana, and I think he at least showed enough to make Raider Nation feel comfortable about the direction he is heading in. However, it was pretty clear that the offense functioned more smoothly with Cousins leading it versus the No. 1 pick. In other words, Mendoza passed the test, but there was nothing that stood out enough to make Kubiak and Co. feel the need to deviate from the plan of being patient with him.

How would you attack the Raiders' defense if you were designing Miami's offensive game plan? What do you expect to see in Rob Leonard's defense in his first year as a defensive coordinator? And, bonus question, do you expect Maxx Crosby to be traded (and stay traded) this year?

Miami's offensive game planshould be simple: run the ball right up the middle and make the young secondary prove they can cover.

General manager John Spytek wasn't going to be able to address all of the Raiders' needs in one offseason because there were so many of them. But defensive tackle was widely considered to be one of the biggest holes on the roster, and Spytek didn't add anyone until the seventh round of the draft with NC State's Brandon Cleveland, who didn't make the 53-man roster and is on the practicesquad.

Spytek was active when it came to the secondary, though. He re-signed cornerback Eric Stokes, drafted two more corners in Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Masses, and used a second-round pick for safety Treydan Stukes. That's on top of adding cornerback Darien Porter in the third round the year prior.

Stokes revived his career and was a solid shutdown corner last season, but the Raiders also had a question mark at the other corner spot, and linebackers who left the middle of the field open like it was the Atlantic Ocean on South Beach. So, there wasn't much reason for opposing quarterbacks to throw at Stokes last year.Meanwhile, Porter made 10 starts and showed enough promise as a rookie to be the other starting corner heading into year two. However, he's still an unproven commodity at this point, and so is Stukes at safety, who will be making his first NFL start on Sunday.

So pounding the rock with De'Von Achane and Malik Willis should probably be the first plan of attack.

Granted, a lot of what I said about Las Vegas' secondary can also be applied to Miami's wide receivers. So pounding the rock with De'Von Achane and Malik Willis should probably be the first plan of attack.

As for Leonard, I'm just curious to see what his scheme looks like. He did spend a year working under Mike Macdonald in Baltimore, and Kubiak spent time with Macdonald in Seattle lastseason, which I'd say worked out pretty well, seeing as it ended with a Lombardi Trophy. So, the expectation is that Leonard is going to run some variation of that scheme. However, he's never been a coordinator before and has exclusively been a front-seven position coach, making it difficult to gaugewhat he'll do on the back end of the defense.

You asked the million-dollar question with Crosby! No one should be surprised if he gets traded since the Raiders tried to move on from him this offseason. Also, this is a franchise that's likely two years away from being a contender, while Crosby just turned 29 and has ended the last two seasons on injured reserve. It sucks because he wants to win in Vegas and seemingly is willing to ride it out with the organization after the Ravens debacle this spring. However, it doesn't seem like the timelines are going to match up, and in my opinion, the Raiders would be better off long-term by getting some high-end draft capital. I have no idea if a deal will happen ahead of the deadline, but I'm fully expecting the five-time Pro Bowler to be on thetradeblock.

The Raiders are in the first year of a reset, with second-year general manager John Spyteck and Kubiak in his first year as a head coach. Whether you call it a reset, a rebuild, or something else, putting everything back together in Las Vegas will likely take more than one offseason (much like what is happening in Miami this year). What is the biggest area of concern for Raiders fans this season? Who is someone who is going to have to step up if the Raiders will have success this season?

It all starts with Mendoza. Obviously, we won't have an answer for a while since he isn't starting yet, but the Raiders have had a revolving door at quarterback ever since moving on from Derek Carr four years ago. If you count injuries, they've had eight different starting quarterbacks since Carr was benched. So, when Mendoza finally gets his shot, looking like a capable starter will certainly give Raider Nation more optimism about the future.

Beyond the most important position on the field, seeing the young players get playing time and grow together as the season goes on will be crucial. I'm expecting there to be some struggles early on because the roster is so young, and there are a lot of new faces who haven't played together and will need time to build chemistry. But playing competent/compititve football in the second half of the year should be a requirement/expectation.

In my opinion, the most frustrating aspect of Carroll's tenure was that he refused to play the young guys, even when the old vets were flat-out embarrassing. The Raiders had a 10-game losing streak from Week 7 to Week 17 last year and still trotted out the same lineup every game. It was maddening! I'm okay with, and honestly expecting, more losses than wins this season. But I'm at least looking for a reason to believe in the organization's long-term plan this season.