The Las Vegas Raiders opened Week 1 with a statement, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-13 as Ashton Jeanty powered a dominant performance. The second-year running back looked healthy, explosive, and ready to carry a bigger load. Jeanty finished with 102 rushing yards on 23 carries and added two receiving touchdowns. For the Raiders, it was the kind of opening punch that changed the mood around a team coming off a 3-14 season.

NBC Sports’ Josh Alper noted that performances like this were exactly what Las Vegas envisioned when it selected Jeanty at the top of the first round in 2025. The bigger message, however, came from Jeanty himself.

“The past is the past,” Jeanty said in his postgame press conference. “We’re moving forward, and we’re not worried about what happened last year. This is a new team, new staff, and we’re building a new culture here. And that’s a culture that’s going to win football games.”

Jeanty made that message clear with his play against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Ashton Jeanty gives Raiders a new identity

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Ashton Jeanty missed extended time this summer with an ankle injury, but he showed no signs of limitations on Sunday. He ran with power, stayed active as a receiver, and gave Las Vegas a reliable offensive foundation from start to finish.

Still, the Raiders have seen Week 1 optimism disappear before. They won their opener last season under Pete Carroll, only to lose four straight games afterward. That collapse shaped the rest of their year.

Now Klint Kubiak has a different challenge. He must make sure Sunday becomes a starting point rather than another false dawn. Riding Jeanty should remain central to that plan. His workload already showed how much Las Vegas trusts him.

Next comes a Week 2 road trip against the Los Angeles Chargers. Can Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders prove this new culture is real?