The Miami Dolphins (0-1) opened the regular season with a 27-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders (1-0).
Several rookies delivered strong performances. Wide receiver Caleb Douglas set a franchise record for receiving yards in a Dolphins debut with 94, while linebacker Jacob Rodriguez made his debut as the only rookie in the league with green dot privileges to call defensive plays.
The Raiders struck first on a 16-play, 93-yard possession spearheaded by quarterback Kirk Cousins. Running back Ashton Jeanty led early with five carries for 25 yards; Cousins then connected with receiver Jack Bech in the end zone to place Vegas on the board at the end of the first quarter. The Raiders' second possession was stalled by incompletions and ended with a field goal to give them a 10-0 lead.
Miami's first scoring drive saw a blend of air and ground attack. Running back De'Von Achane picked up two first downs before quarterback Malik Willis connected with tight end Greg Dulcich to move the chains once more. Douglas hauled in a 25-yard reception to put the Dolphins in field goal range, where kicker Riley Patterson added one from 41 yards to make the score 10-3.
The Raiders responded with a Cousins-to-Jeanty connection in the end zone to extend their lead to 17-3. Miami added points late in the first half after consecutive deep passes from Willis to Douglas moved the offense into field goal range. Patterson added a 37-yarder to make it 17-6 at halftime.
Rookie safety Michael Taaffe ended the Raiders' opening possession of the second half with an interception, returning it to Miami's 48-yard line. Willis immediately connected with rookie receiver Chris Bell for 25 yards before finding Douglas for another 13. Willis then scored his first touchdown as a Dolphin with a 14-yard scramble to the right, and Patterson added the extra point to narrow the gap to 17-13.
Las Vegas responded with a 50-yard kick return before Cousins connected with Jeanty once more, extending their lead to 24-13.
Miami's defense responded with several key stops on the next Raiders' possession. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler recorded a tackle in his 100th consecutive game, the longest active streak among NFL defensive linemen, and rookie cornerback Chris Johnson added a pass breakup on first-and-goal to help limit Las Vegas to a field goal.
Running back Jaylen Wright gave Miami a boost on the following kickoff, returning it 79 yards to set the Dolphins up inside Las Vegas' 20-yard line. The drive ended with a missed 41-yard field goal attempt.
After trading punts, Cousins and the Raiders offense started at their own 45-yard line. Safety Dante Trader Jr. intercepted a deep pass intended for receiver Jalen Nailor, but Miami punted on the next series.
Willis finished 15-of-27 passing (55.6 pct.) for 220 yards and added five carries for 39 rushing yards and a score. Achane tallied 11 carries on the ground for 36 yards, while Douglas led in the air with 94 yards on 5 receptions. Rodriguez finished with a team-high 14 total tackles (five solo) while Johnson contributed 11 total (five solo) and two pass deflections.
The Dolphins remain on the West Coast for their Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, September 20 at 4:25 p.m. at Levi's Stadium.
