Despite an impressive fourth-quarter comeback, the Las Vegas Raiders showed major weaknesses against the Houston Texans.
Sin City trailed 20-3 at halftime and looked helpless heading into the third quarter. That struggle carried over from earlier in the week, as multiple reports pointed to Houston’s superior talent during joint practices.
Interceptions came plenty, and no Raiders position group stood out. Everyone knew the Silver and Black weren’t playoff contenders this season, but the matchups against Houston revealed just how massive the gap is between the two franchises.
2026 is shaping up to be another underwhelming season.
Las Vegas has one of the worst WR groups in the NFL…
Tre Tucker is obviously not an All-Pro wide receiver talent, and Jalen Nailor was signed to be the alpha of this position group, but that hasn’t come to fruition. Proven veterans were available, yet general manager John Spytek gambled on young, unproven talent instead.
That gamble hasn’t paid off yet. Malik Benson emerged as the third-best wide receiver in training camp, but when Fernando Mendoza looked his way Thursday, Benson shied away from the moment. The former Oregon Duck dropped an open pass that could have gone for a touchdown, then struggled to haul in another that hit him in the chest.
The best pass catcher on the field Thursday was Brandon Johnson, a 27-year-old who didn’t make an NFL roster in 2025. Head coach Klint Kubiak addressed the wide receiver group Friday in his press conference.
“We have to get a lot better very fast.”
Let’s pump the brakes on Fernando Mendoza…
Las Vegas has been searching for a franchise quarterback since Derek Carr’s departure in 2023, and none of the attempts since have panned out. Being a rookie comes with highs and lows, and that’s exactly what’s playing out with the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
Mendoza has shown flashes of anticipation and velocity on his throws, but Thursday’s pick-six was a reminder that veteran Kirk Cousins should start this season. The former Indiana quarterback isn’t athletic enough to extend plays consistently, which means he needs to be comfortable in his reads from the pocket.
Add in the offensive line’s question marks, and the offensive weapons around him won’t do the rookie quarterback any favors. Cousins needs to be the Raiders’ quality starter for this team to succeed.
Related: Can Klint Kubiak clean up the biggest problem with his team by Week 1?
Penalties are killing the Raiders…
The Raiders have long been infamous for being one of the NFL’s least disciplined teams. According to a study by InGame.com, the Silver and Black were flagged 1,259 times from 2014 through 2024.
That reputation showed up again Thursday, when multiple penalties exposed a lack of discipline among the team’s young players. Jermod McCoy taunted a wide receiver after playing strong man coverage on the play, and Las Vegas was also flagged for having too many men on the field in the first half.
The best teams don’t deal with these kinds of self-inflicted mistakes, and old habits appear to be dying hard. Many expected Kubiak to turn things around quickly, but early returns suggest 2026 could be another losing season. The ceiling isn’t looking especially high in year one of the Kubiak era.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images