Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders Picks and Prediction for Thursday, August 13, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium for an NFL preseason matchup. Arizona opened the preseason with a 33-30 loss to Carolina, while Las Vegas will play its first exhibition game under new head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders are 2.5-point home favorites after opening at -1.5, while the total has moved from 39.5 to 40.5. With starters expected to have limited roles, the quarterback rotations and roster competitions should have a major impact. Cash a winner with our free NFL picks.
Arizona Cardinals Preview
Arizona enters its second preseason game with several offensive positions worth watching under first-year coach Mike LaFleur. Jacoby Brissett is the projected starter at quarterback, but the preseason provides an important opportunity for Gardner Minshew II and rookie Carson Beck to compete for the backup job. Beck impressed during offseason work after playing 55 college games, giving Arizona a young quarterback who should benefit from extended preseason snaps. Running back is another crowded position with first-round pick Jeremiyah Love joining Tyler Allgeier, James Conner and Trey Benson.
The Cardinals also have several younger defensive players competing for roles. Walter Nolen III is looking for a healthier second season after injuries limited the former first-round pick as a rookie, while Jordan Burch and Baron Browning provide depth behind Josh Sweat and Zaven Collins on the edge. Arizona's secondary also includes young cornerbacks Max Melton, Will Johnson and Denzel Burke, creating opportunities for meaningful evaluation once the established defenders leave the field.
Injuries: PJ Mustipher (IR, foot), Kaleb Proctor (IR, knee). Joey Blount, Valentin Senn and James Conner are questionable.
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Las Vegas Raiders Preview
Las Vegas has one of the preseason's most interesting quarterback situations. Veteran Kirk Cousins is expected to open the regular season as the starter, but No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza should receive valuable preseason work as he adjusts to the NFL. Mendoza split second- and third-team repetitions with Aidan O'Connell during offseason practices, and O'Connell is also competing to prove he deserves a roster spot. Those quarterback options give the Raiders useful depth for an exhibition game.
Several other competitions should keep Las Vegas motivated deep into the second half. Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech, Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Malik Benson are among the receivers competing for roles, while Mike Washington Jr. and Roman Hemby are behind Ashton Jeanty at running back. The Raiders are also evaluating their second cornerback position and have competition along the offensive line. Rookie Treydan Stukes is another player to watch after recording four interceptions at Arizona in 2025.
Injuries: Chris Collier (IR, undisclosed), Corey Rucker (IR, undisclosed), Justin Shorter (IR, undisclosed). Jermod McCoy is questionable with a knee injury.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders Prediction
Arizona already has one preseason game behind it, which can be valuable when execution is often uneven during August. However, Las Vegas has an intriguing quarterback rotation with Mendoza and O'Connell competing behind Cousins, and both should have reasons to push the offense when the starters depart. The Raiders also have several competitive battles at receiver and along the offensive line that should keep the offense aggressive into the second half. Arizona showed it can score in its 33-30 opener, making another competitive game likely, but Las Vegas gets the slight advantage at home. Final Score Prediction: Las Vegas Raiders win and cover ATS 24-20.
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Best Picks
- Las Vegas Raiders -2.5
- Over 40.5
