LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Raiders showed both growing pains and promise through their first two games of the 2026 preseason.
Las Vegas opened with a 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium on Aug. 13. One week later, the Raiders answered with a 22-20 road victory over the Houston Texans. The comeback moved Las Vegas to 1-1 in preseason play.
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Raiders Start Strong Against Arizona
The Raiders opened the Arizona game with an encouraging offensive drive. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins completed five of six passes for 50 yards. He capped the possession with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Michael Mayer.
Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza also received an opportunity. Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and connected with Jack Bech for a touchdown.
Mike Washington Jr. provided another bright spot. The rookie running back broke loose for a 53-yard run and finished with 63 rushing yards.
However, Arizona eventually took control. The Cardinals scored 27 points and handed Las Vegas a 27-14 loss in front of the home crowd.
Raiders Rally From 17 Down in Houston
Las Vegas faced a much different challenge when it traveled to Houston on Aug. 20.
The Raiders fell behind by 17 points before mounting an impressive comeback. Their defense kept Houston scoreless after halftime, giving the offense enough time to erase the deficit.
Washington continued his productive preseason with 56 yards on nine carries. Dylan Laube also contributed to the comeback with a rushing touchdown.
Aidan O’Connell then delivered one of the biggest drives of the night. Starting deep in Raiders territory, O’Connell directed a 96-yard fourth-quarter march.
Brandon Johnson helped move Las Vegas downfield with a 33-yard reception. O’Connell finished the drive himself, scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak to give the Raiders the lead.
Safety Devin Lafayette closed the door on Houston’s final opportunity. His interception helped seal the 22-20 Raiders victory.
Young Raiders Make Their Case
Las Vegas finished the Houston game with 400 total yards compared with 219 for the Texans. More importantly, several younger players made strong cases for larger roles.
The first two preseason games have also given the coaching staff plenty to evaluate before final roster decisions arrive.
The results will not count once the regular season begins. Still, responding to a 17-point deficit with a road victory gave the Raiders an encouraging result after their opening loss.
Las Vegas now has momentum as the team moves deeper into its preseason schedule and closer to games that count.
Las Vegas Raiders
Allegiant Stadium
3333 Al Davis Way
Las Vegas, NV 89118
Official Las Vegas Raiders website
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