Raiders Film Room: Key Decisions That Changed Week 1

In Week 1, the Raiders looked like a team that had played together for longer than they have. As they move into Week 2, they look to build upon their success against the Dolphins on Sunday. However, they face much stiffer competition this Sunday and throughout the rest of the regular season.

Las Vegas' coaching staff took a well-rounded approach to beating the Dolphins on Sunday. The Raiders' staff adjusted well to the Dolphins' adjustments while also keeping control of the game. More specifically, the Raiders used their roster's strengths to impose their will.

Ball Control Early, Shorten the Game

After Las Vegas' defense forced the Dolphins to punt on their first two possessions, the Raiders' offense responded with a touchdown and a field goal on their first two possessions, respectively. Miami made a field goal on their third possession; the Raiders scored a touchdown on theirs.

While they played complementary football, Las Vegas also took time off the clock with long drives on offense and by forcing long drives on defense, but not allowing the Dolphins to score touchdowns. The Raiders ran for nearly 75 yards in the first half, taking valuable time off the clock for Miami.

The Raiders had the ball for nearly 10 more game minutes than the Dolphins. A quarter is 15 minutes. Dominating the clock signals an offense with a competent offensive line and an effective ground game. Kubiak shared his thoughts on how Las Vegas' running backs performed on Sunday.

"Very important. He had a great game; not surprised. Mike [Washington Jr.] played well; Dylan [Laube] played well; all three of those backs. Coach Omar [Young] did a great job of getting those guys ready to play with not an easy game plan, and very appreciative of Coach Omar [Young],” Kubiak said following Las Vegas’ win over Miami.

Short Passes an Extension of the Run Game

The Raiders not only ran the ball well; they also got Ashton Jeanty involved through the air. In addition to rushing for over 100 yards, Jeanty led the Raiders in receiving yards. He finished with the second-most targets on the team and tied for the most receptions on the team against Miami.

The Raiders' offense attacked the Dolphins in so many ways that it may not have been clear that their offensive game plan centered around Jeanty and the ground game. Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko called a respectable game that stressed the Dolphins' defense in various ways.

Getting Jeanty going on the ground and through the air squeezed the life out of the Dolphins' defense, as the unit could not stop either. Getting Jeanty going did the same to Miami's offense, forcing them out of the natural flow they wanted.

Miami was down double digits and struggling to score, all while Las Vegas' defense held them to three points or forced them to punt on most possessions. The Raiders' early decision to keep the ball on the ground, run down the clock, and trust their defense changed the game.

The Raiders will soon face multiple teams that are better than them on paper. Still, anything can happen on any given Sunday. This is especially true if Las Vegas can capitalize on early opportunities, no matter how big or small. An effective ground game has eluded the Raiders in recent years.

If the Raiders can be effective on the ground, they can shorten games and force opponents to be nearly perfect, which is hard to do. Las Vegas' Week 1 win may have been only against the Dolphins, but that approach could help them beat technically better teams.