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NFL Insider Jason La Canfora: Why the Raiders’ Offense is Built to Avoid Another Collapse

By jili tutorial · September 1, 2026

NFL Insider Jason La Canfora: Why the Raiders’ Offense Is Built to Avoid Another Collapse

The Las Vegas Raiders opened last season with a win, only to quickly unravel into the league’s worst team, weighed down by an offense that rarely gave them a fighting chance. This year, they could again win their first game—this time against the Miami Dolphins in less than two weeks—but the collapse that followed might not be repeated. The Raiders now have a clear offensive strength: quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is exceptionally effective throwing to tight ends on play-action passes. Around the league, there’s a growing expectation that Las Vegas will lean heavily into 12 personnel (two tight ends on the field) this season, a shift that could transform their attack.

Why 12 Personnel Could Change Everything

Even with rookie running back Ashton Jeanty—whose debut season was hampered by a poor offensive line and who is again dealing with injuries (he may even miss Week 1 given the long season ahead)—there are reasons to believe the Raiders can outscore Miami in the opener. The Dolphins’ offensive depth chart, by contrast, looks bleak. “Willis doesn’t have anybody to throw the football to,” one NFL executive told me as rosters were trimmed over the weekend.

If Cousins stays healthy, the Raiders should be far more productive and explosive when using 12 personnel. Last season, Vegas quarterbacks ranked just 21st in passer rating out of that formation (84.8), with only seven touchdowns against five interceptions—a surprisingly poor showing given the talent available.

Can Brock Bowers Finally Get the Service He Needs?

Brock Bowers, the Raiders’ first-round pick, has the potential to be one of the NFL’s most impactful tight ends this season—if his quarterbacks give him even decent service. (Eventually, top overall pick Fernando Mendoza will get a look, but the team doesn’t seem eager to rush his development in the coming weeks.) Michael Mayer, a second-round selection in 2023, provides a strong second option, and the Raiders have previously turned down trade offers for him, aiming to build a strength around multi-tight-end sets and “heavy” personnel.

“Bowers is going to dominate in this offense,” one general manager told me this offseason, a sentiment echoed by advance scouts. His unique combination of size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), speed, and talent is undeniable—only the ineptitude of those around him in Las Vegas last year kept him from showcasing it weekly.

Last season, the Raiders had at least two tight ends on the field 42% of the time, ranking in the top 10. For comparison, new head coach Klint Kubiak—who called plays for the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks—used 12 personnel 43% of the time, and he didn’t have anywhere near the caliber of tight ends the Raiders now possess. Over his career, Cousins has completed 202 of 260 play-action passes to tight ends (78%) for 21 touchdowns and just one interception, good for a 123.3 passer rating.

Why Cousins and Kubiak Are a Strong Fit

Cousins has never worked with a tight end group like this, and Kubiak, who previously coached him in Minnesota, is installing footwork and concepts that Cousins already knows well. In Atlanta, Cousins was often stationed in the pistol, but the Raiders should be more effective running the ball from under center, even without Jeanty. Center Tyler Linderbaum, a record free-agent signing for his position, provides a much-needed anchor.

“The offensive line was a total disaster last year, there’s no other way to say it,” former Raiders MVP quarterback Rich Gannon told me over the summer. “They couldn’t do anything.”

Can the Raiders Avoid Another Offensive Collapse?

Cousins excels at the quick-passing game, processing defenses rapidly and finding his hot reads even when the line is under pressure. And with Rams head coach Sean McVay confounding defenses last season by leaning into 13 personnel (three tight ends) in ways rarely seen, expect the Raiders to use similar looks for both quarterbacks—until Cousins eventually hands the reins to the rookie.

The pieces are in place for a more stable, productive offense. Whether that translates into avoiding another late-season collapse will depend on health, execution, and a heavy dose of tight-end-heavy schemes.