Seahawks hit Las Vegas with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, while No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza prepares for his first NFL start

The Seahawks are set to face the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday, a matchup defined by proximity and transition. Seattle will prepare against Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who previously served as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator and was part of the staff that helped Seattle win the 2025 title.

Kubiak’s return is personal and tactical. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said there are “a lot of parallels” between the offenses, noting that the Raiders have “evolved” and are operating at a high level. Macdonald also described how his work with Kubiak in Seattle shaped his expectations for how the Raiders will run their offense.

The Seahawks are also preparing for a quarterback debut. The Raiders’ decision to move on from Kirk Cousins reportedly cleared the way for No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to make his first career start, according to the Seahawks’ preview. That change creates uncertainty for Seattle’s defense because, as defensive tackle Byron Murphy II put it, there is “no tape” in the usual sense to study his tendencies and weaknesses.

Seattle’s defensive emphasis, therefore, begins with what it can verify: how the Raiders operate as an offense “as a team,” then adjust once the game reveals Mendoza’s real-time decision-making. Macdonald said the approach is to focus on details and communication, lean on available information from the draft process, and be prepared to make adjustments during the game.

The coaching-history subplot does not appear to be the priority for Kubiak, either. In Las Vegas, he said the emphasis for players is to worry about technique, studying, and watching tape, “overlooking yourself first,” while he suggested Seattle’s organizational approach under John Schneider and the coaching leadership of Macdonald informed how he thinks about running an organization.

In Seattle’s one-week preparation, the team held its practice Wednesday, Nov. 11 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, with quarterbacks Drew Lock and Adrian Martinez also listed among the group practicing.