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Dolphins Week 1 review: Thoughts and reactions from Raiders loss

The Miami Dolphins launched their latest rebuilding phase with a 27-13 defeat against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2026. The matchup marked the franchise debuts of head coach Jeff Hafley, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, and starting quarterback Malik Willis, while rookie or second-year contributors occupied ten starting spots for Miami's league-youngest squad.

Playing through a massive financial hurdle of about $183 million in dead salary cap charges, the Dolphins struggled across multiple phases as their inexperienced secondary surrendered big plays to veteran passer Kirk Cousins, both interior fronts were physically controlled, and the offense sputtered.

The game also featured the team debut of Jacob Rodriguez alongside Willis and Hafley as the new regime begins a challenging transitional campaign. Miami now sits at 0-1 following the double-digit road setback, emphasizing the immediate hurdles of leaning heavily on untested reserves and young prospects.