Raiders Deep Dive: Key Takeaways From Win vs. Miami

I took some time to rewatch Sunday's game in Las Vegas and came away impressed with different aspects, players, and systems on both sides of the ball. Here are my key takeaways from the Raiders' 27-13 win against Miami.

Kwity Paye's Impressive Debut

One of the players I wanted to get a closer look at from Sunday’s game was free-agent pass rusher Kwity Paye, who had five pressures and two sacks in his debut with the Raiders. It was as good a debut as you wanted from any of the new additions to Las Vegas’s defense, and the way Paye was deployed was interesting considering he only played 29 snaps, 58 percent of the possible 55 defensive snaps.

According to Next Gen Stats, defensive coordinator Rob Leonard deployed Paye 20 times as an edge rusher and nine times from the interior, with snaps coming from the 4i and five-techniques. I was impressed with Paye’s effort and motor on a majority of snaps, while using speed-to-power to push and collapse the pocket.

I saw Paye line up from the interior on most third downs, and he had a couple of reps selling vertical pushes for quickness and attacks on the guard’s inside shoulder to create interior pressure. The Raiders won’t be playing the Dolphins' offensive line every week, but Sunday was a nice start for Paye.

Ashton Jeanty Is As Advertised

When the Raiders added to their offensive line this offseason, it was rightly assumed that running back Ashton Jeanty would finally be able to showcase his talents to the world. He did just that, hitting the century mark to kick off the season and tying for the team lead in receptions while also leading in receiving yards, including two scores in the air.

I loved how head coach Klint Kubiak used Jeanty in the offense, whether at running back, H-back as an in-line pass-catcher to work into the flats and short hole of the defense, in the slot, or on routes out of the backfield. Jeanty navigates traffic beautifully and gracefully once he enters the second level, with terrific footwork synced with his eyes to make cuts and create space.

At some point, behind this offensive line, we’ll see some explosive plays from the former sixth overall draft pick—but until then, we should enjoy what we’re seeing from No. 2.

Treydan Stukes' Standout First Career Start

In his first career start, Treydan Stukes made his presence felt with his first career interception and six tackles. The Raiders' second-round selection played every snap on Sunday, with all but three from free safety.

Stukes roamed the back end and forced Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis to work underneath, and in the intermediate, and even then, the Raiders made the middle of the field a busy place, as Stukes showcased the closing speed to the football and range to cover ground in a hurry.

One thing I’m curious about is how Stukes could be deployed in future games, especially next weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers and Mike McDaniel’s offense. I’d like to see Leonard move Stukes into nickel more to challenge the run, but if he keeps performing at free safety, it might be smarter to keep him there.

Extra Takeaways

• Kirk Cousins was okay in his debut as the Raiders' starting quarterback, going 21 of 30 for 160 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. His deep ball percentage was only 6.7 percent, signaling a lack of aggression on vertical stems and an intent to attack more in the intermediate and short sectors of the field. Cousins' two interceptions weren’t great, but he is the right signal-caller for the start of the season.

• Defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi had a great game against the Dolphins, setting the tone up front from the first snap with stout gap integrity and pure strength at the point of attack. He was a stonewall up front for the Raiders' defense and showcased why he is one of the Raiders' better interior defenders.

• Just as I suspected, linebacker Quay Walker was all over the front seven, whether he was off the ball, mugging the A- or B-gaps, lining up as an edge rusher, or working as a dime-backer. Walker seems to be the perfect linebacker for a Mike Macdonald disciple in Leonard, and you can expect similar deployments throughout the season.