The Las Vegas Raiders fell to the Arizona Cardinals, but plenty emerged beyond the scoreboard. Here are the takeaways and concerns that deserve a closer look.
The Raiders’ 27-14 preseason loss to the Cardinals offered a measured look at Klint Kubiak’s new regime rather than a verdict. Preseason games exist to evaluate players, install schemes, and identify issues without the weight of regular-season consequences. Las Vegas showed encouraging flashes on offense while exposing predictable growing pains on defense and in discipline. The overall impression is cautiously positive: this is one of the league’s youngest rosters, and youthful mistakes are expected.
Remember, this is a true rebuild.
The Bad
Penalties were a clear problem. The Raiders racked up eight flags for roughly 75 yards, mostly in the first half. Pre-snap infractions and untimely defensive penalties stalled drives and gifted Arizona free yards. In a new system with many young pieces, discipline is often the last element to settle. Kubiak needs to clean this up quickly.
The young secondary experienced the expected growing pains. Cardinals quarterbacks completed long strings of passes early, including the first 15 attempts of the game. Press coverage looked competitive at the line, but defenders frequently lost receivers at the top of routes or on fades and intermediate throws. Fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy, who hasn’t played in a football game in two years, was targeted successfully on multiple scoring plays. The unit was taken advantage of early and often against both starters and backups. This is not unusual for a young group still learning communication and leverage, but it will require focused attention from the players and coaches.
Pressure? What pressure? Without Maxx Crosby (who dressed but did not play), the front generated little disruption. Arizona’s quarterbacks operated cleanly, and the Raiders recorded no sacks in the first half while the Cardinals scored on their first three possessions. New defensive coordinator Rob Leonard kept the scheme relatively vanilla, which is standard this early, yet the lack of consistent push up front left the secondary exposed.
Related: The Raiders might’ve already found Ashton Jeanty’s backup
The Good
The first-team offense looked solid. Kirk Cousins needed only one series to demonstrate command of Kubiak’s scheme. He went 5-of-6 for 50 yards and capped a crisp 10-play, 68-yard opening drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Mayer. The ball came out on time, the offense attacked multiple levels, and the unit moved with efficiency that stood in contrast to recent seasons. Cousins’ precision and decision-making made the system look functional immediately.
Running back Ashton Jeanty consistently gained yardage before contact on his limited carries, a clear improvement from the frequent negative or zero-yard touches that plagued the run game last year. Even in a short sample (three carries for 16 yards), the blocking and scheme created cleaner pathways at the point of attack.
The offensive game plan distributed touches effectively. Multiple skill players contributed. Rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. ripped off a 53-yard run that ignited a touchdown drive and finished with strong yardage on limited opportunities. Wide receiver Jack Bech, who faced questions after a quiet training camp, responded with three catches for 25 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown slant from Fernando Mendoza. The design involved tight ends, running backs, and receivers in the progression, avoiding the one-dimensional tendencies that limited the offense previously.
Scheme, Players, and Next Steps for the Raiders
Cousins’ command of the Kubiak offense was the clearest early positive. The timing and rhythm on the opening drive, especially the well-designed throw to Mayer in the flat, illustrated how the system can create easy completions and yards after the catch when executed cleanly.
Once Cousins gave way to Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick took the majority of the remaining snaps and produced a solid debut (10-of-16 for 97 yards and the touchdown to Bech). He showed the ability to work through progressions and deliver under pressure after an uneven first series, though penalties and a couple of physical hits reminded everyone he is still learning NFL speed and protection.
That mix of promise and rawness sets the agenda heading into the joint practices and preseason game in Houston against the Texans, where the priorities are straightforward. The secondary needs competitive period work against a physical receiving corps to refine technique at the top of routes and improve communication. The pass rush must generate more consistent pressure even when Crosby is held out or limited. Cleaning up penalties will be non-negotiable in any live setting.
Within that framework, Mendoza’s development is the most pressing individual storyline. He needs additional first-team or extended reps so the coaching staff can continue evaluating his readiness. Crosby, by contrast, has little to prove in meaningless games after returning from knee surgery and has already participated in camp. Sitting him remains the wise approach unless the staff specifically wants to test certain package looks; preseason is for assessment, not proving points for established veterans.
A final observation…
Taken together, these threads point to a simple truth: the Raiders remain a young team under a new coaching staff, and they will make mistakes. The first-team offense’s efficiency, Jeanty’s improved path to the second level, Washington’s explosive run, Bech’s production, and Mendoza’s first professional touchdown are legitimate building blocks. The defensive coverage breakdowns, lack of pressure, and penalty issues are equally legitimate concerns that demand attention. Still, the loss itself carries no lasting weight.
What matters is whether the staff and players treat the film as a teaching tool rather than a final judgment. Early returns suggest the foundation is forming, even if the finished product is still several weeks away.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images