The Las Vegas Raiders got whooped in a joint practice session with the Houston Texans earlier this week, but they have learned a lot about themselves in the early going. And there was more to learn in Thursday's preseason game between these two AFC teams, even with most of the starters sitting.
This time, the Silver and Black came out on the right side of the scoreboard, winning in the final seconds. More importantly, they continued to connect the dots and understand this team on a deeper level with roster cutdowns looming. The more information the Raiders have, the better.
That said, it will take some time for the coaching staff to go through the game tape and make their full assessment of what occurred in the second preseason match. Here, though, we are going to rifle off some quick takeaways from the action.
Instant reaction from the Raiders' preseason loss to the Texans
Fernando Mendoza is a rookie. He had a lot of great moments and throws, but of course, he also tossed a bad pick-six. Mendoza didn't have a ton of time to operate, and he was going up against a great foe, so some highs and lows were expected and not overly concerning. No worries here.
It's looking more and more like Mike Washington Jr. should and will be a significant part of this offense. His patience, strength and burst were evident once again, and although he should have probably sat on Mendoza's pick-six, he got involved in the passing game in a positive way, too.
Treydan Stukes and Tristin McCollum made some nice tackles on the back end of the defense. McCollum did miss a key one on Woody Marks' touchdown, though. Stukes also had a nice coverage rep, even though the pass was completed, and had a few nice blitzes, pressures and hits.
Dylan Laube had a really nice night and may have locked up the RB3 role on the way. Not only did he make a nice catch with the second team, but he dominated with the 3s, rushing six times for 37 yards and a touchdown. His night was done early, which is a great sign this time of year. Dare Ogunbowale should also have the leg up on Roman Hemby for the final spot in the room after Thursday.
Malik Benson had a rough night. He hauled in a nice 18-yard catch on his first target but dropped the next two, both of which came on third down and halted any potential momentum on the drive. He couldn't connect with Aidan O'Connell in the second half, either.
The Raiders' offensive line depth is a bit scary. The second group struggled tremendously to keep Mendoza clean and to pave lanes for Washington Jr., even if the young running back made do with what he could. Jordan Meredith, in particular, really has no business being on this football team.
Depth on the defensive line, however, has been promising. Patrick Johnson continues to make plays, both as a pass rusher and a run defender. Thomas Booker IV also had a nice sack on a speed rush and a great tackle for loss. Foley Fatuskasi flashed at times, and Jahfari Harvey had a sack fumble.
After a tough performance in the preseason opener, Tommy Eichenberg settled in and made some nice plays. Segun Olubi also had a handful of tackles on defense for the Raiders as well. Cody Lindenberg had a quiet night to round out the notables from the linebacker depth.
With pretty much all of the starters sitting out, including Jack Bech, it was interesting to see Jalen Nailor out there. He made one nice grab and was just inches from another. Ian Thomas had a pre-snap miscue, but he blocked well and was a nice safety blanket for Mendoza throughout the first half.
O'Connell really struggled in the early going, but he turned it around and led the Raiders on a game-winning drive, restoring some of the faith that this fanbase may have in him. He still put a lot of bad stuff on film, but O'Connell ended on a high note and showed some real fortitude.
Penalties were still an issue for the Raiders, especially personal fouls. The one on Jermod McCoy was a bit weak, but the Silver and Black need to figure out ways to limit pre-snap and post-play penalties. They keep beating themselves in a lot of ways.
Las Vegas finally made a field goal, courtesy of Matt Gay. But Kansei Matsuzawa missed a pair of extra points, so his time on the team is likely done at the end of the preseason, if not sooner. He could be gone by the time you are reading this.
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