Raiders Mailbag: Biggest Questions Before Texans Joint Practice

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders are about to enter the most critical portion of training camp as they are headed to Houston on Monday afternoon for a joint practice on Tuesday with the Texans, and the incredibly critical second preseason game.

With the enormity of the next week at hand, the Raider Nation, who approach their fandom as more than football but a way of life, has intriguing questions.

Mark Davis, Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

I asked you via my social media to share some of your biggest questions before this pivotal week, and you responded kindly.

So let’s take a look and answer some of the biggest.

The Defense

The defense.
— Leslie Monteiro (@LesMeetsVegas) August 15, 2026

The first team defense (outside of the linebackers) needed to show more, and the second team is full of rookies and young players.

My biggest disappointment after the game was the starting secondary. Based on what I have seen every day in practice, they are better than they performed, but none of them are rookies. I want to see them get it right in Houston, especially in the practice on Tuesday, where they will get far more extended reps against the playoff offense of the Texans.

No More Quarterback Quandry

That needing to tank for a QB is over
— DrD (@Bulldogz400) August 15, 2026

That is enormous, Dr. D. Those days are long gone. If you don’t have a QB in the NFL, you don’t have a shot.

I had a general manager once tell me, “In the NFL there are about eight teams that are convinced they have a QB that can lead them to a Super Bowl. Then about eight teams hope they do, and the other 16 are just trying to find a way to get to the first group.”

This franchise has been in such an unstable position for a long time. Whether you were a Derek Carr fan or not, even when he was here, there was an enormous divide in the Raider Nation about him. Internally and externally.

Those issues have been put to rest with Fernando Mendoza. The debate is over, at least for now. The Raiders have found their guy, and that stability- having him on the roster, knowing that internally and externally everyone is on the same page is a very big deal.

In Kubiak the Raider Nation Trusts

The massively upgraded HC/OC and the elite coaching staff Klint Kubiak has assembled.
— Mr. America 🇺🇸 (@patriotq777) August 15, 2026

There is no argument here at all. Last year was the worst offensive coaching I have ever seen at any level of football in my entire life.

Remember, I covered some Michigan State offenses that were putrid, and the philosophy seemed to be, “Let the defense hold the opponent scoreless, and get a safety.”

Klint Kubiak is in firm command, and his offensive mind is constantly scheming. I think Raider Nation has a sound offensive game plan that will be reinvigorated, returning to its old identity to find its new one.

Team Spytek

Upgrade on staff, have some evaluators of talent now.
— T (@TMart2169) August 15, 2026

I can’t tell you how big of an upgrade this was for the Silver and Black.

John Spytek and his incredible team- Brian Stark, Brandon Hunt, and Brandon Yeargan- and their exceptional staff have done a terrific job.

There are going to be a lot of mistakes from a roster littered top-to-bottom with young players, but they will learn from those mistakes and turn out to be the grizzled vets who turn this place around.

What is impressive is that those evaluators found guys who don’t just play football, but who can and want to watch tape to learn from those mistakes, and crave the coaching Kubiak and his staff will give to get better.

Finding a guy who can play football takes good evaluations. Finding the ones that grind and love it, as this roster has all over it now, is an art form.

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