Cardinals 27, Raiders 14: Mendoza Gets a TD, Arizona Gets the Stops

August 13, 2026 - Las Vegas - Fernando Mendoza heard the ovation on the second possession. The No. 1 pick in the draft then spent the rest of the night proving what preseason debuts usually prove: a touchdown does not hide a defense that cannot get off the field.

The Arizona Cardinals beat the Las Vegas Raiders 27-14 at Allegiant Stadium. Arizona is 1-1 after the Hall of Fame loss. Las Vegas is 0-1. Carson Beck did not play (sore ribs). Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew completed every first-half pass they threw. Chad Ryland added 56- and 40-yard field goals.

Cousins, then Mendoza, then Arizona's chain of scores

Kirk Cousins started for Las Vegas and went 5-of-6 for 50 yards. His touchdown was a 13-yarder to Michael Mayer. 7-0, Raiders.

Arizona answered in a line. Brissett found Marvin Harrison Jr. from 7 yards. Minshew hit Simi Fehoko from 10. After Mendoza tied it, 14-14, on a 6-yard throw to Jack Bech, Minshew found Jalen Brooks from 6. 21-14 at the half. Brissett and Minshew were a combined 15-of-15 for 123 yards in that stretch.

Mendoza's first dropback sailed high. His first drive was 1-of-3. The touchdown drive was cleaner: 79 yards, nine plays, 4-of-5 for 38 yards on the series. He later hit fellow rookie Malik Benson for 19 between three defenders. He missed a second score in the fourth when a ball sailed past Deven Thompkins. Final line: 10-of-16, 97 yards, one TD, no picks, six rushing yards, one sack.

Jeremiyah Love, Arizona's third-overall pick, ran 11 times for 58 yards. Ashton Jeanty got three carries for 16 yards in a short look. Mike Washington Jr. led Las Vegas rushers with 63 yards on six attempts. Arizona outgained the Raiders 368-317 and held the ball 34:25.

Ryland's 56-yarder in the third made it 24-14. The 40-yarder made it 27-14. He pushed a 33-yarder wide right in the fourth. The Raiders never scored again.

AthX Engine, if this were a regular-season card

AthX Engine NFL scoring on the box, not a live weekly board:

Mendoza: 97 pass yards (7.8), one pass TD (6), 6 rush yards (1.5) = about 15. Ryland: 56-yard FG (11), 40-yard FG (9), three extra points (6), one miss (-2) = 24 kicker points. Harrison: 1 catch, 7 yards, 1 TD = 8.3. Bech: 3 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD = 13.8. Mayer's 13-yard TD, if that is his only catch, is 10.8 with TE premium. Jeanty's 16 rush yards = 4.0. Love's 58 rush yards = 14.5.

A debut TD is tape. It is not a Week 1 projection, and it is not a share price.

Track Harrison, Jeanty, Brissett, and both clubs on the marketplace. Arizona hosts Dallas on Aug. 22. Las Vegas visits Houston on Aug. 20.

*Sources: ESPN, AP via CBS, Las Vegas Review-Journal. Information only; not financial advice.*