The Las Vegas Raiders head into Week 10 with more questions than answers after a disappointing 38-17 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. What seemed like a chance to build momentum after beating the New York Jets quickly turned into another frustrating day, as turnovers and a nonexistent rushing attack made it hard for Las Vegas to keep up with one of the NFL’s top teams.
The Raiders are currently 4-5 and will play at home (Allegiant Stadium) on Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks (5-4). Several interesting stories will emerge from this game.
Advertisement
Fernando Mendoza making his first NFL start
The Raiders will have a new look at quarterback after trading Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings. Rookie Fernando Mendoza, the top selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, will make his first NFL start against a Seattle defense that has challenged other quarterbacks this year.
Mendoza has had very little playing time so far this season. He entered the Raiders’ Week 6 game late against the New England Patriots and completed 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards. But that was a meaningless drive late in a blowout loss. These snaps will matter and they will come against a Seattle Seahawks team that allows only 155.1 passing yards per game; the lowest in the NFL.
Head coach Klint Kubiak must find ways to reduce pressure on his young quarterback. Fast passes, play-action passing, and getting Brock Bowers involved as quickly as possible may help Mendoza establish himself without feeling like he has to do everything.
Advertisement
The Raiders selected Mendoza as their franchise quarterback. Although Mendoza’s first game will not define whether or not he will be successful in the NFL, it should give a clear indication of how well prepared he is to face the different types of defense in the league.
Klint Kubiak faces the team he helped win a Super Bowl
Before Klint Kubiak’s current role as head coach of the Raiders, he was the offensive coordinator for the Seahawks during their Super Bowl-winning 2025 season. During that time, he helped establish the Seahawks as one of the NFL’s best offenses.
When Kubiak is on the other side of the field, he will face head coach Mike Macdonald and several other members of the Seattle team that won the title. This knowledge of the Seahawks may help him recognize their defensive habits and how Macdonald likes to attack opposing teams’ offensive strategies.
Advertisement
The Seahawks coaching staff understands how Kubiak operates as well. Both teams realize the importance of disguising what you plan to do before the snap and forcing your opponent into an uncomfortable position.
The biggest question is how much Kubiak can capitalize on that experience to help Mendoza succeed. Seattle will certainly try to exploit Mendoza’s decision-making abilities; therefore, the coaching adjustments made during Sunday’s game are crucial.
Old division foes face off
Sunday’s game with the Seahawks will bring back memories of when the Raiders and Seahawks were division opponents. The Seahawks played in the AFC West for 25 years before joining the NFC in 2002. There have been many great matchups between the Raiders and Seahawks over that time. A strong rivalry existed between the two teams. Although the current rivalry does not have the same intensity as it did then, fans who watched the Silver & Black still remember how much fun it was to defeat the Seahawks.
Advertisement
Many changes have occurred since Seattle moved out of the division, including the Raiders moving from Oakland to Las Vegas. Nevertheless, seeing these two former rival teams play against each other is still special. Many older Raiders fans can recall when Seattle was as familiar an adversary as Kansas City, Denver, and San Diego.
The monumental task of trying to slow down Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Raiders’ secondary will struggle to stop many of Seattle’s offensive threats with none more dangerous than wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Through nine games, the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year has caught 71 passes for 1,036 yards and nine touchdowns. Smith-Njigba’s ability to get open, find space in the middle of the field, and turn short passes into big plays makes him one of the hardest receivers in the NFL to defend.
Advertisement
The Raiders’ defense has been the worst in the league, giving up an average of 385.4 total yards and 29.8 points per game. Even with Sam Darnold hurt, and Drew Lock starting in his place, Smith-Njigba’s presents a major threat on every play.
Can Brock Bowers continue carrying the passing attack?
If the Raiders have any offensive success against Seattle, it will likely go through Brock Bowers.
The skilled tight end was one of the few bright spots against San Francisco, catching 7 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. He has continued to perform well despite inconsistencies in his team’s offense. This season, he has recorded 48 catches for 658 yards and 6 touchdowns in 7 games.
Advertisement
Bowers has the flexibility to be Mendoza’s security blanket. He can play both in the slot and as a short-yardage receiver. He can also create match-up advantages over linebackers and defensive backs. His ability to generate yardage after the catch may also be very helpful against a Seattle defense that does not allow many long-yardage gains.
Bowers shouldn’t be expected to carry the load alone, however. Fellow tight end Michael Mayer is emerging as a reliable alternative with 39 catches for 388 yards so far this year. Using both tight ends would let Kubiak develop favorable matchups and give Mendoza several options if the Seahawks bring pressure.
The Raiders’ challenge is delivering the ball to Bowers while staying unpredictable. Since Seattle understands what Bowers can do, the Raiders need to find innovative ways to include their primary receiver in the offense.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders vs. Seahawks: 5 storylines to watch inSunday’s week 10 showdown
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
