Cardinals Beat Raiders 24-14 as Jeremiyah Love Runs for 58 in Las Vegas' 2026 NFL Preseason Opener

On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 24-14 at Allegiant Stadium in the Raiders’ 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 opener, with Jeremiyah Love leading the ground attack on 58 yards from 11 carries. Kickoff was 5:00 p.m. PT (8:00 p.m. ET). Arizona built a 21-14 halftime lead behind a flawless first-half passing display, then added a 56-yard field goal from Chad Ryland in the third quarter to seal the road win.

Both clubs finished 3-14 in 2025. The Cardinals entered after a 33-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame Game; Las Vegas opened exhibition play on home turf against an NFC West rival.

Editor’s note: This article draws on reporting from Arizona Republic/azcentral, USA TODAY Sports, Raiders.com, FOX Sports, and AP News preseason previews, August 13, 2026.

How the Raiders game unfolded

Detail	Information
Date	Thursday, August 13, 2026
Venue	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Week	NFL Preseason Week 1
Kickoff	5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET
Final	Cardinals 24, Raiders 14
Quarter lines	ARI 7-14-3, LV 7-7-0

Las Vegas struck first. Kirk Cousins connected with Michael Mayer on a 13-yard touchdown pass to put the Raiders ahead 7-0 in the first quarter. Arizona answered when Jacoby Brissett found Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 7-yard score, and Chad Ryland’s extra point tied the game at 7-7.

The Cardinals seized control in the second quarter. Gardner Minshew hit Simi Fehoko for a 10-yard touchdown on an 11-play, 78-yard drive, lifting Arizona to 14-7. The Raiders pulled even when rookie Fernando Mendoza — the 2026 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick — threw his first NFL touchdown pass, a 6-yard connection to Jack Bech that made it 14-14.

Minshew delivered the half’s final blow with 17 seconds left before the break, completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Brooks to give the Cardinals a 21-14 lead. Minshew finished the first half 10-for-10 for 79 yards and two touchdowns; Brissett was 5-for-5 for 44 yards and a score.

Ryland extended the margin in the third quarter with a 56-yard field goal — his longest of the night and a follow-up to a 3-for-3 showing in the Hall of Fame game. Through the third quarter, Las Vegas had not scored after halftime.

Scoring summary

Quarter	Play	Score
1st	Kirk Cousins 13-yard pass to Michael Mayer (LV)	LV 7, ARI 0
1st	Jacoby Brissett 7-yard pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI)	7-7
2nd	Gardner Minshew 10-yard pass to Simi Fehoko (ARI)	ARI 14-7
2nd	Fernando Mendoza 6-yard pass to Jack Bech (LV)	14-14
2nd	Gardner Minshew 6-yard pass to Jalen Brooks (ARI)	ARI 21-14
3rd	Chad Ryland 56-yard field goal (ARI)	ARI 24-14

Quarterback rotations and offensive notes

Raiders coach Klint Kubiak had said both Cousins and Mendoza would play against Arizona. Cousins ran the first-team offense in camp and is expected to start Week 1 against Miami, but Thursday gave Mendoza his first live NFL reps in Las Vegas’ preseason opener.

Team	Quarterbacks (key lines)	Notable results
Cardinals	Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew	Combined near-perfect first half; seven receivers caught passes
Raiders	Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza	Mendoza 5-for-8 for 47 yards, 1 TD, 1 sack in first-half action

For Arizona, the passing game carried the night. Mike LaFleur’s unit had been the story of training camp and carried momentum from the Hall of Fame game into Allegiant Stadium. Jalen Brooks led all receivers with six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown; seven different Cardinals caught at least one pass in the first half alone.

Minshew’s perfect first-half line — 132.8 passer rating through extended action, per USA TODAY game statistics — underscored the depth behind Arizona’s starter rotation. Rookie quarterback Carson Beck was ruled out before the game with a rib injury, shifting reps to Brissett and Minshew.

On the ground, Jeremiyah Love dressed and finished with 58 yards on 11 carries. James Conner was in uniform during warmups; Trey Benson did not play as he continues recovering from a torn meniscus suffered last season.

Las Vegas leaned on Mike Washington Jr. for 63 yards on six carries. Malik Benson led Raiders receivers with 26 yards on two catches through the third quarter.

Defense, penalties, and special teams

Arizona’s defense limited Las Vegas to 188 total yards — 87 passing and 93 rushing — while the Cardinals piled up 292 yards (187 passing, 102 rushing). The Raiders managed only nine first downs to Arizona’s 19 and held the ball for just 15:35 compared to the Cardinals’ 24:41 time of possession.

Stat	Cardinals	Raiders
Total yards	292	188
First downs	19	9
Penalties	3 (20 yards)	7 (75 yards)
Sacks	1 (Walter Nolen III)	1 (Patrick Johnson, 4 solo)
Turnovers	0	0

Penalty volume remained a concern for Arizona’s offense. The Cardinals committed two false starts on their opening touchdown drive, continuing a pre-snap penalty trend that surfaced throughout camp and in the Hall of Fame game. Las Vegas’ seven penalties for 75 yards hindered drives and helped Arizona sustain pressure.

Ryland’s 56-yard field goal was the night’s longest scoring play and gave special teams a highlight beyond the touchdown passes.

Context beyond the scoreboard

Thursday was less about exhibition standings and more about roster evaluation for two teams trying to climb out of last season’s cellar.

For the Raiders, Mendoza’s first NFL touchdown pass and Cousins’ efficient opening series offered early data on Kubiak’s two-quarterback plan. Tom Brady attended the game at Allegiant Stadium as Mendoza made his preseason debut. Pass rusher Maxx Crosby was listed as TBD before kickoff, per AP News previews — leaving the defense without its anchor on a night Arizona moved the ball freely.

For the Cardinals, Harrison Jr.’s touchdown and the multi-receiver production reinforced optimism around LaFleur’s revamped offense. Arizona entered as a +105 moneyline underdog against a -125 favorite Las Vegas side that was favored by 1.5 points with an over/under of 41.5, according to pregame odds cited by azcentral.

Neither club treats preseason results as predictive, but Arizona’s passing efficiency and Ryland’s leg offered tangible positives. Las Vegas must address penalty discipline and offensive stagnation after halftime if backups are to compete for roster spots.

What comes next

Both teams continue Week 1 exhibition play across the league through Saturday, August 15. The Cardinals and Raiders will refine rotations, trim rosters, and evaluate special teams before Week 2 of the preseason and the regular-season openers in September.

Cousins’ path to the Week 1 starter role against Miami appears unchanged, but Mendoza’s debut will fuel internal debate about how quickly the franchise’s top draft pick should be integrated. Arizona, meanwhile, will weigh whether Brissett and Minshew’s sharp showing accelerates any decisions behind the Cardinals’ starting quarterback.

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Discussion

Thursday at Allegiant Stadium was a quarterback showcase and a penalty audit — not a statement about either team’s regular-season ceiling.

1. Fernando Mendoza threw his first NFL touchdown pass, but the Raiders stalled after halftime. Does one preseason night tell you anything about how quickly Las Vegas should push its No. 1 pick into a larger role behind Kirk Cousins?

2. Gardner Minshew went perfect through the first half while Jacoby Brissett added a Marvin Harrison Jr. touchdown. For a Cardinals team that went 3-14 last year, does this passing-game depth change how you view Arizona’s 2026 outlook — or is August efficiency a familiar mirage?

Share whether Mendoza’s debut shifted your expectations for the Raiders — and if Arizona’s offense looked like a real upgrade under the lights.

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