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Making his Allegiant Stadium debut, Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders were victorious, defeating the Minnesota Vikings, 26-20, Sunday, Aug. 14.
“I’ve been around a lot of preseason games over 22 years,” McDaniels said. “And I don’t remember one feeling like this [...] You understand why it is what it is.”
The Raiders moved to 2-0 in the preseason with the win. While nothing Earth-shattering took place, there were many encouraging signs from the team for a second straight week.
Next, they’ll travel to Miami for a matchup with the Dolphins Saturday, Aug. 20. Kick-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
He said this was the “best” preseason atmosphere he’s ever witnessed. In return, the fans got a pretty good showing from their squad.
Game of possessions
Las Vegas struck first, built a double-digit lead and protected it throughout the game - very similar to their Hall-of-Fame Game performance.
Auburn product Jarrett Stidham manned the quarterback duties again for the first half. He led methodical drives for field goals to start. He later scored a touchdown on a redzone scramble, his second rushing touchdown in as many games.
Down 10-zip, the Vikings closed the half with back-to-back field goals.
The Minnesota attack was more potent in the second half, led by dual threat quarterback Kellen Mond in his second season.
However, Raiders’ reserve quarterback Nick Mullens was sharper, turning his two possessions into 14 points for the Raiders with the biggest highlights of the night coming from his snaps.
The longest play of the game for either team was a 34-yard touchdown catch and run by DJ Turner that swung momentum in favor of the home team.
Turner, who went undrafted last season, made a case for making the final roster as an explosive utility receiver. He also had a 26-yard punt return that nearly broke for a touchdown.
Impressive showings
Though the Las Vegas defense gave up big yards on two second quarter Minnesota possessions, holding them to just a field goal both times. One stop came from just inside the redzone while the other came near goal-line territory.
After a missed snap turned 2nd-and-five into 3rd-and-24, Mullens delivered a strike to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, winding up one yard shy of the first down marker.
The Raiders would convert 4th-and-one on the following play and finish the drive in the endzone.
The defense also didn’t allow a third-down conversion until the Viking’s last offensive play of the game, when the game was essentially out of reach.
On the other hand, the team did give up more sacks than you’d like to see. Still, it balanced that out by not committing a turnover - again for the second week in a row.