Raiders Game Review: Key Points From First Preseason Bout

Fernando Mendoza Flashes in NFL Debut

I had little to no expectations for Mendoza entering this game; all I wanted to see was what he could display on an NFL field for the first time. Well, I came away wildly impressed with what I saw.

First of all, let’s go through some of the negatives. There were moments when Mendoza was indecisive while working through his progressions, and if he were with the first-team offense, some of those instances would’ve led to sacks.

During the regular season, taking hits is fine, but there were moments when he allowed unnecessary contact, especially when getting out of the pocket or using his legs. Next offseason, Mendoza should work on practicing his slide. He could also do a better job keeping his eyes downfield.

Mendoza’s talent is evident, and his arm talent is legitimate, as always. There’s plenty of arm arrogance on display, especially on the 19-yard dig to wide receiver Malik Benson in a tight window during the second quarter. He shows a wonderful display of timing and anticipation, which gives us a look at just how far ahead he is in his chemistry with his playmakers and his understanding of the play concepts.

Mendoza did well working on his second and third reads in the progression, so there’s something to build on here. We’ll see more of No. 15 this preseason before hitting the bench for Cousins, but there is a clear advantage when Mendoza is on the field; it opens up so much of the passing game and Kubiak’s system.

Jack Bech Shines With 2026 Potential

Jack Bech is going to be such a fun possession receiver this fall. Everything he showed Thursday night is what will translate seamlessly on Sundays. He has an understanding of where defenders are in space, allowing him to adjust accordingly when he is making a catch or attacking leverage.

Bech operated out of the slot for the most part, which is where he’ll thrive this season. There’s a sense of ease when throwing in his direction, and the Raiders could have themselves a bigger and faster version of Hunter Renfrow.

Hezekiah Masses Displays Growth in League Debut

I thought Hezekiah Masses looked solid in his first set of NFL action. There is still progress to be made from a technique standpoint, especially in press technique, but his instincts in zone and catch technique from off-man were impressive.

Masses was active as a tackler, finishing the night with the third-most on the team (5). In the next couple of weeks, I’d like to see him start making more aggressive plays on the ball if he is in range of a pass. The biggest thing I want to see from now to the final preseason game is growth with each game.

Cody Lindenberg Continues Impressive Development

Lindenberg looked great at linebacker on Thursday night, particularly with tackling in space. He did well to finish tackles and attack the line of scrimmage while negotiating blocks and exchanging gaps with Jeremiyah Love.

He is still a work in progress, but his growth is substantial compared to last year. With Nakobe Dean’s injury woes in past years, it is not a matter of if but when Lindenberg gets the call to start a game this season. For that reason, he must find more consistency in the coming weeks.

Extra Notes

• The Raiders and defensive coordinator are expected to use Quay Walker all over the defense. Now that he is no longer the “green dot,” he’ll have more freedom than ever before. The flashes were there on Thursday, displaying physicality in the run game and navigating through and around blocks.

• Michael Mayer had a nice move in space on the first touchdown of the game. Playing in the AJ Barner role in Kubiak’s offense, he could have a productive season as one of the top pass-catchers on the roster. He’s an effective blocker, too, which makes him an intriguing trade asset in the final year of his rookie deal.

• Third down might become an issue on defense this year, but I’ll chalk those issues up to rookie mistakes and/or a defense with many new faces still learning to communicate with one another. It looks worse because Maxx Crosby did not play on Thursday night, but this is an area to monitor this season.

• 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel could be staples of Kubiak’s offense this season. Connor Heyward made some good blocks as the fullback on Thursday night and will line up occasionally as an in-line blocker and H-back, while Ian Thomas could be featured more because of his blocking ability, which looks better than it did a year ago.

• This is the type of football I like to watch, and it is a near-carbon copy of Kyle Shanahan’s west-coast, wide-zone offense.