A reality check awaits for the Raiders as a tough 6-game stretch begins at the Chargers

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — NFL coaches will never discount the value of a victory, no matter the opponent, but it's about to get real for the Raiders.

Las Vegas, fresh off Sunday's 27-13 victory over the woeful and quite young Miami Dolphins, is getting ready for a six-game stretch against opponents who could reveal exactly where the Raiders are in their rebuild.

That begins Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers, followed by matchups with New Orleans, Kansas City, New England, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams. The games against the Chargers, Saints and Patriots are on the road.

“You learn about everybody in this pressure cooker that we work in, and that’s what makes the NFL so fun,” coach Klint Kubiak said. “So, yes, there’s a tough stretch coming up because that’s what the NFL is, but we just try to look one game at a time.”

Some of the Week 1 results might not indicate the strength of the Raiders' upcoming opponents.

Four of the six teams that are next up on the Raiders' schedule lost their openers, and the Chiefs were hosting Denver on Monday night. But the Chargers won 11 games each of the past two years, the Saints were a 2-point conversion away from beating Detroit, the Patriots played in the Super Bowl last season, and the Rams went into the season as the favorites to win it all.

The Bills and Chiefs are also among the Super Bowl favorites and should challenge a Raiders team that went 3-14 last season.

There is hope in Las Vegas that better days are ahead, and sportsbooks give the Raiders a consensus 6 1/2-win total. Kubiak showed his offensive creativity against the Dolphins, an element that has been missing in recent seasons in Las Vegas. Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes and Ashton Jeanty produced 147 yards rushing and receiving.

Las Vegas' defense also might be better than expected. The Raiders dominated the line of scrimmage, sacking Malik Willis five times and holding De'Von Achane — who rushed for 1,350 yards in 2025 — to 36 yards on 11 carries.

The game, however, also highlighted some of the Raiders' concerns. Cousins didn't test the Dolphins deep, and the offense dried up in the fourth quarter with just 3 yards and two first downs.

“Just overall, I thought (we) just lost our steam,” Kubiak said. “That being said, we put ourselves in good position in the first half, and we just got to play four quarters of football. Was really pleased the way our defense played four quarters of football.”

The Raiders can't afford bad quarters in this upcoming slate, but the franchise seems to come up with an unexpected win every season. Las Vegas won at New England last season, at Baltimore in 2024 and at Kansas City in 2023.

Maybe there will be another such win coming soon. Either way, the Raiders will have a much better idea of where they stand by the time November arrives.

The offensive line was statistically the NFL's worst last season, but it figured to be better after adding three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and left guard Spencer Burford. The Raiders also got back standout left tackle Kolton Miller from an ankle injury last year.

So far, so good. Cousins wasn't sacked and was seldom pressured, and Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. combined to rush for 143 yards with a 4.8-yard average.

Cousins threw two passes that looked out of place for a 15-year veteran quarterback who otherwise played efficiently. Both passes were intercepted, allowing Miami to stay within range of the Raiders.

The Raiders' special teams had an off year last season. That appears to be a one-year anomaly. Dylan Laube had kickoff returns of 45 and 50 yards, Malik Benson brought back a punt 23 yards, AJ Cole averaged 63.3 yards per punt and Matt Gay made both field goal attempts.

Kubiak wasn't pleased with how the Raiders ended the game, and the fourth quarter wasn't good. Take away the final drive when the team knelt down, Las Vegas punted three times and had an interception.

TE Brock Bowers (knee) and CB Darien Porter (foot) are day to day, Kubiak said.

75% — The Raiders' red-zone touchdown rate. Las Vegas went 3 for 4, and the drive that didn't end in a TD still produced a field goal. Las Vegas was 26th last season with a 50% conversion rate.

The Raiders visit the AFC West rival Chargers on Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (18) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) celebrates with teammates after a touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The Emmy Awards are underway. “The Pitt” and “Widow’s Bay” are generating buzz as they compete for top prizes. The ceremony is also honoring the anniversaries of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Charlie’s Angels.”

Here are some highlights as the show roars into the night.

Mariska Hargitay kicked off the show with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in an exuberant, looney pre-taped bit that had her sing a version of “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, renamed “I Love TV Screens.”

The first-time Emmy host was seen relaxed in bed with “Hacks” star Jean Smart, ate a burger in a nod to “Beef,” rode a horse and drank bubble tea with Jennifer Coolidge.

On stage, she reveled in the fact that she was the first woman to host in 15 years. The star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” entering its 28th season, also joked that she never had to pronounce the word “finale” and pretended to have words with Nicole Kidman over her cheesy AMC ads.

“She crushed it,” said Amy Poehler, who took the stage after the opening.

Jean Smart was predicted to win her fifth straight Emmy for “Hacks” and did it with style. “What a ride this has been,” she said.

It’s her eighth trophy overall, which ties the all-time performer record shared by Cloris Leachman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Allison Janney. Smart also becomes the first woman to win best actress for each season of a show’s run.

Smart, 74, who first got noticed in the CBS comedy “Designing Women,” won her first Emmys for guest appearances on “Frasier” and then another for a supporting role on “Samantha Who.”

On Monday, she kept a special thank you to the end — “Hacks” creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky: “It all begins and ends with them,” she said.

Just six months after the “Buffy” reboot was scrapped, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz reunited onstage to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary.

After Boreanaz mused whether their characters, Buffy and Angel, would ever get together, Gellar had a sharp retort referencing the cancellation.

“Guess we’ll never find out!” Gellar said.

She also acknowledged it had been a tough two years for the show’s cast and crew, implicitly acknowledging the recent deaths of actors Anthony Head (Giles), Nicholas Brendon (Xavier) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn).

Sofia Vergara made it to the Emmys this year to present supporting actor in a comedy, bypassing the emergency room. Last year, she had to bow out of presenting at the last minute after suffering an eye allergy just before the show.

In the hour before the show opens, the Peacock Theater lobby was as jammed as an LA freeway.

Women wearing long trains attempt to protect them from an errant shoe as guests bump elbows and brush backs trying to make their way across the lobby. It’s time to gird for the three-hour show ahead, which means buying $9 cups of popcorn, $8 hot dogs and $23 beers and cocktails to carry to seats. It doesn’t appear nachos are a popular item — too messy for folks in tuxes and gowns

Meg Stalter, a nominee for best supporting actress for “Hacks,” was dressed as an Emmy statuette, complete with wings and a coat of gold makeup. She even held up a sphere like the real trophy itself.

It was Stalter’s first time attending the Emmys as a nominee. She earned her first career nod for supporting actress in a comedy series for playing Kayla Schaeffer in the fifth and final season of “Hacks.”

Similar to the Grammys held across the street, this year the Emmys are having the biggest names seated at small tables with lamps on them in front of the stage.

Typically, the guests are seated in long rows like a movie theater. There’s still the same pre-show hobnobbing. It seems no one wants to sit down early, knowing they’ll be in those seats for the next three hours.

For more coverage of this year’s Emmy Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards

Jean Smart arrives at the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Host Mariska Hargitay speaks during the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Meg Stalter, left, and Paul W. Downs arrive at the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)