Key Takeaways
Raiders at Texans, Thursday, Aug. 20, 8 PM ET on NBC, the only nationally televised Raiders game of the 2026 preseason
First meeting between these teams in the preseason since Aug. 20, 2005, the Texans narrowly won that one, 19-17
Kickoff is at 5 PM PT / 7 PM CT, prime time on the East Coast

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For a team that spent most of the last decade fighting for oxygen on the national broadcast schedule, the Raiders will get a rare moment in the bright lights this August. Their Week 2 preseason matchup against the Houston Texans on Thursday, August 20 is the only Raiders game on the NFL’s nationally televised preseason slate, and for once, the spotlight is not accidental.

The game airs at 8 PM ET on NBC, which means the country will be watching as the Silver and Black hit the road for a rare preseason trip to Texas. The Raiders have not faced the Texans in the preseason since August 20, 2005, also in Houston, and that one came down to the wire, with the Texans escaping with a 19-17 win. The Raiders will be looking to flip that result almost 21 years later.

This is Preseason Week la’t 2 for both teams. The Raiders opened their exhibition slate at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 13 (broadcast locally on FOX5 Vegas), and they will wrap up Aug. 27 against the San Francisco 49ers, also a local broadcast. The nationally televised game sits right in the middle, giving the Raiders a prime-time showcase before the real games begin.

What to Watch For

For the Raiders: Rookie minicamp wrapped in early May, and the rookies are already getting their feet wet. First-round quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the headliner, but second-round defensive end Keyron Crawford could make some noise in this one. After signing 18 undrafted free agents and running through a full rookie camp, the Raiders have built real depth, and this game will start sorting out who actually belongs.

For the Texans: Houston came into the draft with clear priorities, they traded up twice to land players who fit their identity. Their big move on Day 2 was acquiring Ohio State defensive tackle McDonald, a unanimous All-American who recorded over 60 tackles last season at just 20 years old. Head coach DeMeco Ryans and GM Nick Caserio made clear what they are building: tough, physical, and mean up front. The Texans have a clear vision, and this game is the first real test of it.

Why This Game Matters

This is not just another preseason game. It is the only time all offseason the Raiders will be front and center for a national audience, and the timing matters. The starters will see limited snaps, that is the nature of August football, but for the Raiders, this is a chance to remind the country they exist.

The AFC South champion Texans are coming off a strong year. The Raiders are trying to prove they are trending upward under their new regime. And somewhere in the middle of that, you will see rookies fighting for jobs, backups trying to earn spots, and two teams figuring out who they are before the games start counting for real.

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Walk the Plank

Let’s be honest, the Raiders haven’t exactly been a prime-time favorite lately. In fact, they have no nationally televised games on the regular season schedule, a reality they earned with a dismal performance last year. The league is treating them accordingly.

However, there is a silver lining. With Klint Kubiak installing his system and a wave of young, exciting talent entering the fold, the product on the field is changing. If the Raiders can start turning heads early, there is a real chance that a game could be flexed into prime time later in the season. Until then, we start in Houston and try to remind the world why the Silver and Black belong in the spotlight.