Quick thoughts from South Florida Sun Sentinel staffers on the Dolphins’ loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium as Miami begins the 2026 season 0-1.
Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist
The Dolphins did what they could as a young team without much experience. They played hard but their lack of talent and lack of playmaking ability eventually caught up to them. This wasn’t a disastrous debut, but it wasn’t good.
David Furones, Dolphins Writer
It’s hard to expect much from the Dolphins in the first year of this rebuild. The opener against the Raiders, a team largely expected to at least be within the bottom third of the league, solidifies that. There were moments where Miami’s youth fought and made plays, but they were outmatched. And it’ll only get much tougher against a very good San Francisco 49ers team next Sunday.
Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor
The Dolphins looked young, young, young. The question, amid Ashton Jeanty making the interior of the Dolphins defense look non-existent by piling up almost 150 yards, is what growth to expect from all the youth. Maybe my season prediction (6-11) was typed with the heart instead of the head, because there really is no there there on this embryonic squad, and all of the most dire predictions for this year’s record merely appear to be exercises in sobriety.
Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor
This season is going to be filled with non-competitive results like in Las Vegas. Incredibly, the Raiders may be the least capable opponent the Dolphins face this year. The absolute requirement is that the core group of young players the front office has invested its deepest faith in improves as this season trudges along.