Season openers often are decided by which team makes the fewest mistakes. For the Raiders to knock off an overmatched opponent they must avoid the self-inflicted miscues that would gift wrap a win to the Miami Dolphins. The mistakes, which are called “DBOs” (Don’t Beat Ourselves) in NFL meeting rooms, include turnovers, big plays allowed due to blown assignments or missed alignments, and pre-snap or foolish penalties (false starts, neutral zone infractions, 12 men on the field, etc., and unsportsmanlike fouls). If the Raiders can avoid the controllable mistakes and force the Dolphins to win the game through high-level execution, the odds will be in their favor.
Although the Raiders must be ready to play in a one-score game that will likely be decided in the fourth quarter, they can methodically beat down the Dolphins by playing a clean game that doesn’t feature any egregious errors or mental miscues. This is easier said than done, but the Raiders can finish Week 1 with a 1-0 record if they handle their business and avoid the self-inflicted errors that routinely lead to losses.