Circle These 3 Raiders Games on Your 2026 Calendar

I’ve circled this date as a likely possibility for Mendoza’s NFL debut. No, it’s not ideal that his first career start comes against a Super Bowl-contending team , but he’ll have the advantage of being at home and gaining valuable experience behind Kirk Cousins in previous games.

This would also be another test for the Raiders against one of the NFL’s best teams. Kubiak against the Rams defense, the last three matchups between the two have been fun to watch, which could make this a closer game than expected.

Week 11 — at Denver Broncos

When the Broncos are good, Mile High is one of the hardest places to play. Their defense remains outstanding on paper, while their offense has a slew of skill players ranging from Jaylen Waddle to Courtland Sutton. No one would be surprised if they won the AFC West once again.

Assuming Mendoza is already under-center, this may just be his toughest outing of the regular season. The Raiders will be tested to the limit, but if they show a level of competitiveness against some of the better teams on their schedule, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this game ends up closer than some say.

Week 4 — vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas’s second home game of the season is against an AFC West rival. The reason I have this as an intriguing game is that by Week 4, we’ll have a sample size for how the roster and players have performed; Could this be a potential debut for Mendoza?

Hard to say without data from Cousins since we’re several months out from the regular season. This matchup with a retooled Chiefs team and Patrick Mahomes will be a fun test after four games to see where the Raiders stand heading into the next quarter of the season.