Week 1 · Sunday, September 13 · 4:25 PM ET
Why This Game Matters
Two franchises hit the reset button on the same Sunday, and one of them has to open its new era with an L. Jeff Hafley's Dolphins are mid-teardown behind Malik Willis after eating over $175 million in dead money to move on from Tua, Waddle and Fitzpatrick, while Klint Kubiak's Raiders are trying to prove last year's 3-14 collapse was Pete Carroll's problem and not the roster's. Vegas has this pegged as one of the ugliest openers on the Week 1 slate, but somebody's rebuild gets a win to point to and somebody's doesn't.
Real Player Matchups
- MIA pass rusher Bradley Chubb (8.5 sacks, 20 QB hits in 2025) vs. a LV offensive line that allowed 64 sacks last season.
- LV pass rusher Maxx Crosby (10.0 sacks, 20 QB hits in 2025) vs. a MIA offensive line that allowed 38 sacks last season.
- MIA's Jaylen Waddle drew a 22% target share in 2025 (+34 receiving EPA) against a LV defense ranked #20 of 32 in EPA allowed.
Real 2025 season production (nflverse), a prior-season baseline pending real 2026 games.
Key Matchups
- Malik Willis's first real test as a Week 1 starter comes against Maxx Crosby, one of the NFL's premier edge rushers, behind a retooled Miami line fronted by rookie first-rounder Kadyn Proctor
- Miami's ball-hawking defense -- Miles Battle, Major Burns and Jackson Woodard have all forced camp turnovers -- against Kirk Cousins running Kubiak's offense for the first time in a live setting
- Rookie CB Chris Johnson, Miami's other first-rounder and an early camp standout, likely draws coverage snaps on Brock Bowers, the sport's best tight end when he's right
- Ashton Jeanty's ground game against a Dolphins front already missing rookie DT Rene Konga (out for the season) and DE Clelin Ferrell (still working back), a thin spot Las Vegas should look to exploit early
Injury Report
Rene Konga · MIA DT
IR
Undrafted rookie suffered an undisclosed injury in camp that HC Jeff Hafley confirmed will keep him out for the entire 2026 season; Miami signed Fatorma Mulbah as depth behind him.
Zane Gonzalez · MIA K
IR
Initially considered week-to-week before being placed on injured reserve, ending his season; Riley Patterson takes over kicking duties.
Clelin Ferrell · MIA DE
Out
Expected to miss several weeks of camp/preseason with an undisclosed injury, per HC Jeff Hafley.
JuJu Brents · MIA CB
Questionable
Not expected to practice for a stretch of camp, but the absence is not considered long-term.
Chris Bell · MIA WR
Recovering
Rookie is working back onto the practice field after ACL surgery in December 2025; Hafley says he's 'in a really good place.'
Jackson Powers-Johnson · LV G
Day-to-day
Left an Aug. 17 training camp practice with an undisclosed injury; expected to miss the Aug. 20 preseason game against Houston.
Michael Mayer · LV TE
Day-to-day
Missed an Aug. 17 practice after injuring his nose.
Series History
All-time: Miami leads the regular-season series 20-18-1, but the all-time mark including playoff games is dead even at 21-21-1.
Last meeting: The teams last met Nov. 17, 2024 in Miami, where Tua Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes -- including a 57-yard catch-and-run to Jonnu Smith -- as the Dolphins beat the Raiders 34-19. The win was Miami's second straight that season and extended a Las Vegas losing streak to six games.
- · The rivalry's signature moment is the 1974 AFC Divisional Round 'Sea of Hands' game, when Oakland's Clarence Davis hauled in a last-minute touchdown among a crowd of Miami defenders to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Dolphins 28-26 -- a game the NFL later named among its '100 Greatest Games.'
Weather
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas has a fixed roof — weather is not a factor for this game.
Records & Rankings on the Line
- · Miami sits at No. 31 in the preseason power rankings, dead last in the AFC East, with Vegas setting the Dolphins' season win total at just 4.5
- · Las Vegas checks in at No. 28, still last in the AFC West but three spots and a full win better than Miami on paper (5.5 win total)
- · Both head coaches -- Hafley and Kubiak -- are looking for their first career regular-season win in Week 1, and the loser opens 0-1 under a completely rebuilt coaching staff and roster
The Desk Weighs In
Duke Callahan
LV -4
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Vega Okafor
LV -3
"This is a leap of faith more than a numbers pick — Miami's 2025 offensive EPA actually grades out ahead of Las Vegas's, which was dead last in the league. I'm on the Raiders for situational reasons, not efficiency ones."
Sunny Marchetti
LV -3
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Reese Thackeray
LV -3
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.
Priest Dunbar
LV -3
Reasoning not yet published for this pick.