Raiders expressing excitement as preseason opener arrives

LAS VEGAS—After weeks of watching film, getting reps throughout training camp and making general preparations, the Las Vegas Raiders will finally get the opportunity to put all of that practice time into something tangible.

On Tuesday, the Raiders held their practice from Allegiant Stadium, giving the players and coaching staff experience with their preparations on game day before the Arizona Cardinals arrive for the preseason opener on Thursday.

For head coach Klint Kubiak, this moment has been a long time coming where, after years of biding his time, he will finally get the opportunity to take charge of a team of his own.

“I think the thing I appreciate the most is the coaches I get to work with because it is a group effort and we work a lot of long hours together,” said Kubiak before Tuesday’s practice. “We have a lot of coaches that are head coaches in their position and I rely on them to be the best at what they do, and it allows me to focus on my strengths and delegate the things that I’m not as good at.”

While Kubiak was mum about how many series the first unit will play, he mentioned that the coaches “have a plan for those guys,” suggesting that they will get at least some reps.

Similar to Kubiak, this will also be the first NFL experience for the many rookies currently in the Raiders lineup.

The rookie class, lead by first overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza, have had moments of brilliance throughout the summer, but this week will be crucial for their development. The coaching staff now has an idea about how the younger players can handle a NFL game day environment, and Thursday’s game will be the first opportunity that they will face live game reps. For rookies like wide receiver Malik Benson and cornerback Hezekiah Masses, this also serves as an opportunity to prove that the hype that they have generated for themselves over the past couple of weeks is warranted.

“When I was at Alabama, coach [Nick] Saban, one thing he told me is, whether it’s game or practice, you just got to take it one day at a time and just don’t let the moment get too big,” said Benson. “Just going to go in there and be grateful for my opportunity and just know that, at the end of the day, it’s just practice.”

Fortunately for Benson, he strung together another good day of practice, and he was far from the only Raider to have a good day on the field.

The quarterbacks would put together some good tape, although Kirk Cousins was still the better option through team periods. That said, usual suspects such as Maxx Crosby, Tonka Hemingway and Keyron Crawford were able to get pressure at various points, and even depth pieces like Cody Lindenberg and Brennan Jackson were consistently making plays during their reps. The pressure did allow the Raiders to continue giving their running backs opportunities to prove they could do more than just run and separate themselves from the pack.

The moment was seized by the likes of Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr., who have the makings of a solid one-two punch in the backfield. Even as Washington is another exciting rookie the Raiders have, he is also feeling the pressure of the moment.

“It’s going to be an exciting moment, I believe, for everybody,” said Washington. “It’s our first preseason game, first game we get to show the world what we’re capable of. I’m just…going to be excited.”

Now, all that remains is to wait and see what the new-look Raiders truly look like at game speed.