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The Las Vegas Raiders will be kicking off their preseason in just a couple of days, and their first opponent is the Arizona Cardinals. The NFL world already saw a glimpse of the Cardinals in the preseason as they took on the Carolina Panthers in the annual Hall of Fame game.
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Personally, that was the most entertaining Hall of Fame game I’ve ever seen in my life. If that’s a sign for the 2026 NFL season to come, I’m even more excited thinking about all of the dynamic offenses across the league. Especially for the Raiders, what is there to look forward to in their first preseason game against the Cardinals?
Starters Expected
BREAKING #RaiderNation
Starters will play in the preseason opener against the Cardinals on Thursday
“We do have a plan for those guys and how many snaps or series we’d like to see them go, no need for anyone else to know it. We’re going to have a lot of guys playing this… pic.twitter.com/0E2FyzviZN
– Raiders Lead (@RaidersLead) August 11, 2026
Klint Kubiak has confirmed that the starters will be playing in Thursday’s contest. Usually, with starters in the preseason, they’ll only go in for a drive or two. Surprisingly enough, I think Raider Nation will want to see the backups more than the starters.
That’s because Fernando Mendoza isn’t going to be their starting quarterback, and his debut in the Silver and Black is much more exciting than Kirk Cousins‘. It will be interesting to see what Kubiak prefers more with the starters: running the ball or passing it.
Defensive Test
Carson Beck to Jalen Brooks. WOW.@ProFootballHOF Game on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/VjnMEP2mIQ
– NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2026
The biggest storyline from the Hall of Fame game was how comfortable rookie quarterback Carson Beck looked in their offense. He made a case for himself to be the Cardinals’ starter in the regular season.
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I think that against Rob Leonard’s defensive schemes, Beck’s decision-making and throw selection will be put to the test. The Raiders’ defense has an opportunity to cut all the Beck hype prematurely by causing a turnover or making him look less comfortable in the pocket than he did in his preseason debut.
Carson Beck Every Completion and Rush from the Hall of Fame Game.
15/19, 188 PYDS, 1 TD, 0 INT, 125.4 RTG. pic.twitter.com/wdk3qKXxT4
– Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) August 7, 2026
A way they can do that is by using their young secondary to give Beck different looks than the Panthers’ defense. It’s important to remember that because this is a preseason game, I don’t expect Leonard to be pulling out all of the creative defensive stops and schemes.
However, there’s fierce competition right now to be the secondary option in their secondary, and I think it’s only fair to give those players a chance to ball out against fellow players looking to make their names known. This is the first in-game look Raiders fans will get at this new roster and new regime. Times are changing in Las Vegas.
Today’s best reads
- First Week of Raiders Training Camp Showcases Kubiak’s Newfound Culture
- Making Case for Raiders’ Starters To Play in Preseason
- Raiders Training Camp Report 13: Inside Two Weeks of Camp
- Projecting Las Vegas Raiders 53-Man Roster After 2 Weeks
- Raiders Training Camp Day 8: Winners & Losers From Practice
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Raiders Face Intriguing First Test in Preseason Opener.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 6:00 AM.