Cousins Hits 301 Career TDs in Raiders Win

Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes to reach 301 career scoring throws as the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Miami Dolphins 27-13 on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Klint Kubiak's head-coaching debut. Cousins became the 15th quarterback to hit 300 career touchdowns and moved into 14th all-time, one ahead of John Elway.

That is a statement opener for a new staff and a new quarterback in Sin City. Fantasy managers who started Cousins for the safe floor got three scores and a win. Ashton Jeanty did the rest, shaking off an August ankle scare with a dual-threat stamp that Kubiak's run-first call sheet was built for.

Bech opens, Jeanty finishes

Cousins finished 21 of 30 for 160 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He is the first Raiders quarterback with three or more touchdown passes in an opener since Kerry Collins in 2005. The Raiders never trailed after a 16-play, 93-yard opening drive that ate 8:58 and ended with Jack Bech's 15-yard touchdown, the first of Bech's career.

Two of Cousins' scores went to Jeanty, both from 13 yards. Jeanty also ran 23 times for 102 yards and caught six passes for 45. Las Vegas led 17-3 at one point before Miami cut it to 17-13 on Malik Willis' 14-yard rushing touchdown after a Cousins interception. Dylan Laube's 50-yard kickoff return then set up Jeanty's second touchdown.

Defense squeezes Willis

Willis went 15 of 27 for 220 yards with no touchdown passes and one interception. He was sacked five times, including 1.5 by Maxx Crosby, who reached 70 career sacks and became the third Raider to hit that mark since sacks became official in 1982.

Las Vegas totaled 290 yards in Kubiak's first game, a clear step up from last season's bottom-of-the-league offense. Cousins cooled after a clean start and the two interceptions kept Miami alive, but Jeanty's dual-threat day and five sacks on Willis closed the door. Fantasy managers who drafted Jeanty as a locked RB1 got the 100-yard stamp and two receiving scores on day one.

Next week the Raiders visit the Chargers. The Dolphins visit the 49ers. IDP rooms that streamed Crosby for the sack floor watched him reach 70 for his career. Raiders fans who waited through a rebuild opener got the 1-0 start and a milestone night for Cousins.

Three touchdowns. Three hundred one for the career. Twenty-seven to thirteen. That is the Raiders' Week 1 start.