Preseason can fool you in a hurry, and the Raiders did exactly that on Thursday night.
Las Vegas dropped its opener to the Arizona Cardinals, 27-14, but the result wasn’t the whole story. For a team that finished last season with the worst record in football, this was the kind of preseason showing that can make a fan start drifting toward bigger dreams - maybe even the playoffs.
That’s the word that kept hanging in the air after this one. “Playoffs?!?”
It’s a long climb from the No. 1 overall pick to a postseason berth, but there were enough signs in this game to make the idea feel less absurd than it did a few weeks ago. Head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense looked like something real, and it carried the feel of the same wide-zone system that has given the league problems in San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan.
The pass protection is still likely to be ordinary this season, but that’s a major step up from what the Raiders put on the field last year. More importantly, there was actual movement at the line of scrimmage, which matters a whole lot for Ashton Jeanty. When a running back with Jeanty’s talent gets that kind of help, it becomes a stock-up moment.
There were other encouraging pieces too. Kirk Cousins looked capable of steering the offense for now, and the tight ends could become a real part of the plan.
Michael Mayer might be headed for a bigger season than many expected. Jack Bech looks like he can help move the chains, and Tre Tucker showed some juice after the catch.
And then there was Fernando Mendoza, who felt like the headliner of the night. He looked ready to start for Las Vegas right now, though Kubiak and the team seem intent on bringing him along the right way until they decide he’s ready. The question is how soon that happens, because it may be sooner than people thought.
On the defensive side, Quay Walker stood out as well. This was, preseason or not, the freest he has looked since entering the NFL. Without the burden of calling out plays, he seemed lighter and quicker in his decision-making, and a Devin Lloyd-like rise is on the table.
That’s where the delusion starts to get dangerous, because once you begin looking at the schedule, the imagination kicks in. The Raiders might be capable of some real upsets this year, including against the Buffalo Bills, the reigning-champion Seattle Seahawks, or the mighty Los Angeles Rams. That’s how the playoff talk starts.
Still, there’s a clear-eyed version of this too, and it matters. The Raiders have issues.
Third-down defense could be a problem. The young secondary needs time.
And defensive coordinator Rob Leonard has to be concerned that the pass rush looks almost nonexistent again without Maxx Crosby.
Even so, the overall direction feels better than it has in a while. Two preseason games remain, which means there’s still room for more optimism to build. There will be growing pains, plenty of them, but Thursday night offered enough to make Raiders fans feel like the franchise is at least pointed the right way.
In Other News...
Khalil Mack Just Added Painful Context To A Trade Raiders Fans Hate
Khalil Macks departure still hangs over the Raiders like one of the franchises biggest modern what-ifs, and his latest comments only sharpen the pain for anyone who lived through the trade. The Raiders shipped Mack and a second-round pick to the Bears for two first-round selections, then turned those assets into Josh Jacobs, Damon Arnette and Bryan Edwards, a move that was supposed to reset the roster while giving Jon Grudens team more long-term control over the draft.
Instead, the deal has aged unevenly, even with Jacobs becoming a rushing champion. Arnette and Edwards never made the kind of impact the Raiders needed, and the broader cost to the defense has kept the trade in the regret category for many fans. Macks reflection on how the separation unfolded adds another layer to a breakup that already felt messy, and it is hard not to look back at that offseason and wonder how differently things might have gone for the Raiders if the relationship had held together a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosbys Von Miller Reaction Says Plenty To Raiders Fans
Von Millers move to Dallas adds another familiar name to the AFC West conversation, even if he is now wearing a different uniform. The veteran pass rusher was a free agent after his season with Washington, and his one-year deal with the Cowboys brings him back to the team he followed growing up in Texas. For Raiders fans, it also brings a reminder of just how much respect Miller still commands around the league, especially among edge defenders who have studied his game for years.
Maxx Crosby is one of them. The Raiders star has been open about the influence Miller has had on his own development, praising Millers mentorship and the way he has shaped parts of Crosbys approach on the field. So when Crosby reacted to the news, it said plenty about the bond between two of the sports most recognizable pass rushers, and about how much Millers presence still resonates with the next generation of defensive stars. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Ground Game Is Finally Showing Signs Fans Have Waited For
For three straight seasons, the Raiders have spent too much time at the wrong end of the rushing conversation, stuck near the bottom of the league and looking for answers up front. This offseason brought a clear attempt to change that, with the addition of offensive line coach Rick Dennison and the signing of center Tyler Linderbaum giving the team a different look and, maybe more important, a different direction.
Training camp and the preseason have offered the kind of early signs Raiders fans have been waiting for, with the ground game showing more life than it has in years. Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington have both flashed in the backfield, and while August can only tell you so much, the runs have at least hinted that Las Vegas may finally have something worth building on when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]