Kirk Cousins reached a career milestone in season opener

Kirk Cousins reached a career milestone Sunday, becoming the 15th quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 300 touchdown passes as he led the Las Vegas Raiders to a 27-13 season-opening victory over the Miami Dolphins.

Cousins threw three touchdown passes in his first start with the Raiders after being acquired from Atlanta during the offseason. Two of those scoring throws went to rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who made an immediate impact in his NFL debut.

Jeanty rushed for 102 yards and added six receptions for 45 yards. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft showed no signs of being limited by the ankle injury he suffered Aug. 23.

Cousins completed 21 of 30 passes for 160 yards, although he was intercepted twice. His three touchdown passes gave him 301 for his career, moving him into 14th place on the NFL's all-time list and one ahead of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

He also became the first Raiders quarterback to throw three or more touchdown passes in a season opener since Kerry Collins did it against New England in 2005.

The Raiders finished with 290 total yards in their first game under coach Klint Kubiak, who served as the offensive coordinator for Seattle's Super Bowl-winning team last season. The performance offered an encouraging early sign for an offense that struggled badly in 2024, ranking last in the NFL in both total yardage at 245.2 yards per game and scoring at 14.2 points per game.

Las Vegas controlled the game from the opening possession, marching 93 yards on a 16-play drive that consumed 8:58 and ended with a touchdown. The Raiders had only one touchdown drive of at least 90 yards during the entire 2024 season.

The Raiders built a 17-3 advantage before Miami responded, cutting the deficit to 17-13 early in the third quarter. Las Vegas quickly regained momentum when Dylan Laube returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to midfield.

That set up Cousins' 13-yard touchdown pass to Jeanty, putting the Raiders back in control. Miami struggled to generate consistent offense throughout the afternoon. Malik Willis, facing pressure for much of the game, threw for 220 yards and an interception while being sacked five times.

Maxx Crosby recorded 1½ sacks, bringing his career total to at least 70. He became the third Raiders player to reach that mark since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

The Dolphins, who entered the season with the youngest roster in the league at an average age of 25.5, will have an opportunity to regroup under first-year coach Jeff Hafley. Miami's season-opening performance, however, provided little evidence that the team is ready to meet the high expectations surrounding it.

For Las Vegas, the victory provided an encouraging start under Kubiak and a promising debut for Jeanty. But the Raiders' offense will face a much tougher test in the weeks ahead, beginning with a six-game stretch that includes matchups against Chargers, Kansas City, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams.

• Injuries

  • Dolphins: Linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. suffered a hamstring injury in the second half.

  • Raiders: Cornerback Darien Porter was injured in the fourth quarter.