It’s only August, but this win meant a lot to Las Vegas. The Raiders erased a 17-point deficit in the second half to secure their first win of the preseason. Quarterback Aiden O’Connell led an 8-play, 96-yard drive to put Houston away late in the fourth quarter. “It means a lot to our team,” head coach Klint Kubiak said postgame. “We needed to have that game, especially after that first half. We’ve seen flashes of that from our guys in practice, and for them to go do it on a Thursday night game, that’s very rewarding to see those young men play their hearts out in the second half.”
Raiders’ rookie RB is hard to ignore
Mike Washington Jr. continues to shine. Through two preseason games, the rookie running back has produced 119 yards on 15 carries. His performance hasn’t gone unnoticed by the coaching staff. “Guys are earning roles, and we’re gathering information. He’s a young guy. So, we’re learning more about him, and when guys are having success, they carve out roles, and that’s where he’s headed,” Kubiak said. “Mike’s doing a great job running the ball. We got to keep getting him better in all facets of his game.” Ashton Jeanty is the team’s bell cow, but don’t be surprised if Mike Washington Jr. gets some meaningful carries against Miami in Week 1.
Who’s the Raiders’ QB1?
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins rested along with most of the first-team offense, but following the game against Houston, coach Kubiak refused to name a starting quarterback. “We got another week. I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job,” Kubiak said. “It should always be that way for all positions. So, we’ll keep going forward.”
Fernando Mendoza played the entire first half Thursday night, completing 8 passes for 86 yards and throwing one interception. But through two preseason games, the No.1 overall pick has looked the part. Mendoza continues to showcase his arm talent and his ability to get through progressions quickly. However, the 22-year-old quarterback came away from his first preseason start admitting that there is “a lot more learning to do.”
“Although I had a lot of success at another level, this level is a whole step further, and the margins are so small that one tiny mistake can lead to catastrophe,” Mendoza said. “So I want to make sure that I best serve my teammates and get better from these experiences.”
Cause for Concern?
Through two preseason games, the Raiders have committed 17 penalties for 158 yards. Postgame, coach Klint Kubiak expressed that he is “very concerned” about the number of penalties. “Two weeks in a row, and that’s on me as a coach,” Kubiak said. That’s on me to get that cleaned up. I said the same thing last week, so I’d better figure it out real quick.”
–Follow Dan Loya on X @DLoya_NFL
