Reflections on the Raiders-Texans contest
By: Jake Rajala
The Las Vegas Raiders travelled to combat the Houston Texans. It was intense and gutsy throughout four quarters. We witnessed impressive performences from starters and back-ups. With that said, I’m going to lay out five takeaways from the Raiders-Texans showdown.
Fernando Mendoza, where art thou?
The 2026 first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza isn’t proving that he deserves to be the QB1 in Week 1. Yesterday, he threw a pick-six and then threw 8 for 15. He threw a couple of pretty darts, but it wasn’t enough to sustain a long drive. It’s week 2 of pre-season, so there is plenty of time to turn it around.
Running game
The running game from both sides was impressive. Ashton Jeanty didn’t play, but that didn’t slow down the Raiders running game. Mike Washington Jr. recorded 56 yards on nine carries. Dylan Laube had 37 yards on six carries. Let it also be known Dare Ogunbowale had 35 yards on four carrries. As for the Texans, Jo’quavious Marks averaged 9.2 YPC and had a rushing touchdown. I would have liked to see another long run from someone else.
Aidan O’Connell
Aidan O’Connell isn’t the next Kenny Stabler. However, he did play like a potent QB2. He is proving to the football world that he deserves a starting QB. He unleashed 15 for 24 yards, had an 83 rating, and had a rushing touchdown, too. He is 27 years old. In other words, he has a lot of potential.
Klint Kubiak
The pressure is on Klint Kubiak to make Mendoza a star. Mendoza never, ever lined up under center in college. The number one task for Kubiak is to make Fernando comfortablel under center. He also needs to make Fernando shine with throws across the middle of the field. We witnessed a pick-six when Fernando threw a pass across the middle.
Ka’imi’ Fairbairn
There weren’t any record setting field goals in this contest. However, there were still impressive kicks. Fairbairn completed an 57 yard gield goal attempt. He was 2-2 on the day. His ability to be consistent and lethal is why he will be the clear FG starter to kick off the season.
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