Three Takeaways from Raiders' Preseason Loss to Vikings

The Las Vegas Raiders dropped their first preseason game to the Minnesota Vikings. What did we learn?

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) throws a pass as Minnesota Vikings linebacker Owen Porter (57) pursues and offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. (rear) blocks during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have dropped their first preseason showdown to the Minnesota Vikings, 24-23, on a last-second field goal from rookie Will Reichard. 

While the final score is inconsequential to anything the Raiders do in the regular season, there were certainly things to take away from this game. 

The Raiders’ starters and starter-adjacent players performed quite well. They jumped out to a 20-7 lead, commanding the game on both sides of the ball. After that, however, the game slipped away, and the Vikings pulled off the comeback.

So, what did we learn from this preseason game? 

Let’s examine three things that stand out. 

The QB battle is far from over - The Raiders are in the midst of an intriguing quarterback battle between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II. 

Both quarterbacks played a significant amount in this game. Minshew threw 12 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, while O’Connell threw nine for 76 yards. Minshew showed excellent precision in his touchdown throw over the top to wide receiver DJ Turner, who is a roster hopeful.

O’Connell was also sharp, delivering a few good strikes, including one to Jakobi Meyers for 24 yards. 

It appears neither quarterback got the upper hand in the competition from this game. This, truthfully, should be encouraging, as they have both been struggling in camp. It bodes well that both quarterbacks played well in this game. 

The secondary might struggle - While the backups and depth pieces saw a lot of the action in the game, there were a lot of rough moments. 

Jack Jones, the team’s top cornerback, had an interception, but other than that, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy looked impressive against the Silver and Black secondary, dropping in two long touchdowns over top of M.J. Devonshire and Chris Smith II. 

The Raiders are relying on their youth at cornerback, so they will need to perform better in the coming weeks to make Raider Nation and the coaching staff feel better about where that group stands. 

The tight ends will thrive - Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer combined for three catches for 32 yards, but it was enough to show that this duo will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Bowers caught a nice 16-yard pass over the middle and a nine-yard pass on a third down play. He was wide open on both plays and showed impressive yards-after-catch ability. The Raiders made a point to get him in space so he could show off his elusiveness.

Mayer caught just the one pass for seven yards but should also factor in heavily this season. 

The Raiders should be able to lean on their tight ends, and Bowers may be ready to be a star sooner than expected.

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