Grit won the day as the Las Vegas Raiders rallied past the Houston Texans 22-20, but resting starters left big preseason questions unanswered.
The Raiders’ 22-20 comeback win over the Texans delivered more grit and depth evaluation than a clear picture of the regular-season product. Trailing 20-3 at halftime, Las Vegas outscored Houston 19-0 after the break, capped by Aidan O’Connell’s 1-yard sneak with 14 seconds left and a sealing interception from Devin Lafayette.
The final score looked better than the process in stretches, and that’s worth remembering: Preseason remains about assessment, not results, and this second game offered mixed returns for a young roster under Klint Kubiak.
The Bad
Penalties remained a problem for a second straight week. The Raiders were flagged nine times for 83 yards, up from eight for 75 against Arizona. Several infractions came on special teams, and Kubiak took ownership of the issue, calling it concerning and placing the responsibility on his coaching staff to clean it up. Those operational mistakes continue to stall momentum and hand opponents free yards.
The defense was exposed again, particularly in the first half. Houston scored 17 points in the opening quarter alone, including a methodical opening drive capped by a Woody Marks touchdown run and an 80-yard pick-six. The unit tightened up considerably after intermission, holding the Texans scoreless the rest of the way, but the early damage underscored ongoing issues with consistency and communication—even against a lineup that wasn’t at full strength.
Much of that inconsistency traces back to personnel decisions…
Kubiak’s choice to sit nearly the entire first-team offense, along with most defensive starters, limited how much the game could actually reveal. Fernando Mendoza started and played the entire first half behind a mostly second-team offensive line. He finished 8-of-15 for 86 yards with one interception: a checkdown pass on which he and Mike Washington Jr. clearly weren’t on the same page, resulting in the pick-six.
That kind of experience, operating under pressure and working through progressions against backups, is valuable for a rookie. But it doesn’t fully replicate the timing, protection or scheme execution he’ll face with the starting offensive line and skill players once the games count. The same limitation applied to the defense. Young players logged meaningful snaps, but the absence of Maxx Crosby and other veterans left the unit facing an incomplete stress test.
One player who didn’t help his case: Malik Benson. The training-camp standout had two notable drops, including a third-down incompletion that stalled a Raiders drive. He did show chemistry with Mendoza earlier on an 18-yard connection, but consistency in traffic remains a work in progress for a receiver still fighting for a significant role.
Related: Texans exposed just how far the Raiders still have to go
The Good
Washington continues to look like the real deal. He led the rushing attack with nine carries for 56 yards, including a patient 33-yard burst that showcased vision, balance and acceleration. Paired behind Ashton Jeanty, the two form a potentially formidable one-two punch capable of keeping defenses honest and creating explosive plays. Washington’s consistency across two preseason games is one of the clearest bright spots for the running game so far.
That kind of individual bright spot was matched by the team’s collective response. Down 17 points early and by the same margin at halftime, the Raiders showed genuine grit, sticking to the plan and closing out the win in the final seconds. Sustained drives, a shutout second half on defense and a composed 96-yard march to finish the game all pointed to a group that didn’t fold. That resilience matters more than the final margin in August.
It also helped that the offensive game plan continued to involve a wide range of players. Multiple running backs touched the ball, including Washington, Dylan Laube on a short-yardage touchdown and Dare Ogunbowale on a 19-yard score, along with tight ends and receivers throughout. Las Vegas finished with 400 total yards and a perfect 3-for-3 mark in the red zone. Even with limited starters on the field, the scheme distributed opportunities rather than forcing everything through one or two options.
Scheme, Personnel, and Evaluation Questions
Kubiak’s choice to rest most starters was deliberate. He and his staff treated Tuesday’s joint practice as the primary evaluation “game,” prioritizing health and avoiding unnecessary risk after a week of heavy contact work. That approach is common league-wide, particularly for a first-year head coach managing a young roster alongside veterans with injury histories. It also signals confidence that the starting group is largely set or that enough film already exists from camp and the joint session to make further evaluation unnecessary. Still, the trade-off is clear: Valuable regular-season-style reps for the first unit were sacrificed.
Mendoza, for his part, gained real experience managing the pocket, processing under pressure and recovering after a critical early mistake. Those lessons matter, but they remain incomplete without consistent work alongside the offensive line and skill players he’s most likely to play with once games count for real. The same limitation applied to the defense.
Personnel questions extended beyond the quarterback position…
With Brock Bowers held out alongside other starters, the receiving corps operated without its primary security blanket and mismatch creator. Jalen Nailor saw work, and the scheme created opportunities for others, but legitimate questions remain about whether the Raiders need a true complementary No. 1 wide receiver. The offense can function without one if tight end and running back involvement stays high, though a consistent outside threat would expand the playbook further. It’s still too early to force a trade, especially with roster cuts approaching and the final preseason game still ahead.
Taken together, the overall impression is positive. The Raiders showed resilience, got a strong look at depth pieces such as Washington, and proved they could close out a game. But that positivity is tempered by a desire for more.
The second preseason game is traditionally when teams offer their closest approximation of a regular-season look and feel. By resting so many key players, the Raiders left some of that evaluation on the table. Next week against the San Francisco 49ers will almost certainly feature an even lighter starter presence, as the focus shifts fully to health and roster decisions.
Still, the film from Houston contains useful teaching moments for the young players who did see the field. Whether those lessons translate once the full starting group returns will define the trajectory of this season.
*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images