How Raiders Growing Pains All Part of Promising Plan

November 8, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How Raiders Growing Pains All Part of Promising Plan

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Jared Feinberg | Last updated Nov 15, 2026 9:00 AM ET

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As the Las Vegas Raiders approach kickoff at Allegiant Stadium against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the growing pains have never been more apparent than in this month-and-a-half stretch.

Las Vegas has played some of the NFL's best teams since early October, losing every game against them while only beating teams with losing records. To face reality, the Raiders are a young group with many flaws hidden by great offensive coaching from head coach and play-caller Klint Kubiak, who faces his former team on Sunday afternoon.

With rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza making his first career start, the growing pains of the 2027 Raiders could continue against a Sam Darnold-less Seahawks team that bolsters the top-ranked defense in the NFL.

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Growing Pains Are Frustrating

These growing pains are frustrating if you're a part of Raider Nation. As a neutral observer, I feel the same way, but this is a part of the process and, as the late Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight said, "It's all part of the plan." This isn't a sadistic tactic by Kubiak and general manager John Spytek to annoy and gaslight fans; they want to win, and it shows in the effort on the field, but the talent disparity is legit.

Wide receiver, defensive tackle, the secondary, and the offensive line are likely to face a retooling next offseason, but what is important is discovering the young pieces, where they fit, and who the core talents are to maintain. All of those positions lack an elite talent at the moment.

But the mission going forward isn't just to try and tally up a few more wins: it is to evaluate the youth on this roster while working through the growing pains that the players and staff are facing.

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Progression Is Real

There was a learning curve for safety Treydan Stukes after a hot start to his rookie season, but he's begun to find his groove again; rookie cornerbacks Hezekiah Masses and Jermod McCoy have all flashed at some point this season; and right guard Trey Zuhn II has impressed as a starter.

Then there's Mendoza: the golden boy of the franchise. We're finally going to see him in full-time action after the Raiders traded Kirk Cousins back to the Vikings. I'm excited to see the arm talent, mobility, and aggression, if any, from the 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick.

The moral of the story is this: the Raiders are going through the growing pains of a rebuilding organization that is committed and disciplined. However, they're seeing legitimate progress before their eyes. Las Vegas will eventually see it with Mendoza, and if the final product lives up to the hype, special times could arrive in Sin City.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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