HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) go to New Jersey this weekend to face the New York Jets (2-5), with the NFL Playoffs, the trade deadline, and a rebuild all on their mind.

One of the many things I like, and would even admit to admiring, about Klint Kubiak, the Raiders' first-year head coach, is that he isn’t afraid of the obvious.

He isn’t out to deceive; in fact, deception is far from his vocabulary, but he also isn’t afraid of his shadow.

Raiders rookie head coach Klint Kubiak and elite STC Joe DeCamillis. | Darrell Craig Harris

Let me explain.

Pete Carroll's resume is lengthy and respected. He has earned that. I like Carroll and find him both genuine and warm. But that didn’t change the fact that, in each press conference, you felt like you were being sold a timeshare like the ones you find all over Las Vegas at every kiosk.

That isn’t the case with Kubiak. If he doesn’t want to answer you, he will tell you so, and if he does, he does. He doesn’t hide from the facts.…