Fernando Mendoza’s – A month-plus out from the NFL’s return, August’s preseason slate is already giving fans a reason to plan their weekends—starting with the Arizona Cardinals at the Las Vegas Raiders on August 13, then Cowboys-Seahawks on August 15, and the Eagles visiting the N
We’re officially a little over a month away from the return of NFL football. Soon, those weekends will belong to television screens again—football on in the background, playoff dreams in the living room.
And yes, it’s preseason. Wins and losses don’t carry the weight they do in January. But the games still matter in one way that’s hard to ignore: preseason is where you catch the early signals—who’s ready, who’s unsettled, and what a new look might actually do against someone else.
That’s why August’s must-watch stretch is already drawing attention, especially around a key moment fans will be watching closely: Fernando Mendoza’s NFL debut.
The first night of the slate lands on a Thursday, August 13, with kickoff set for 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM PST. The Arizona Cardinals travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. and the quarterback room in Las Vegas is the storyline fans can’t stop circling. This is the first time either of the Raiders’ quarterbacks will get to suit up for the Raiders in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. The questions are simple. but loaded with meaning for anyone trying to guess how the season will shape up: who starts. who looks sharp enough to earn more time. and how much of the game each of them gets.
Two days later, Saturday, August 15, the league shifts to Seattle for another 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM PST matchup: the Dallas Cowboys at the Seattle Seahawks.
The defending Super Bowl champions are up first for a close-up look. and they’re doing it while sorting out changes on offense. Replacing former offensive coordinator is part of the story. and there’s another new wrinkle in the broader league picture: Klint Kubiak has been named the new Raiders head coach. For the Cowboys. it’s the opposite vibe—an offense built to create speed and instability for defenses. which means this preseason meeting could turn into exactly the kind of controlled chaos fans secretly want to see.
Then, on Saturday, August 22, at 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST, the spotlight moves to a game that feels like a preview of something bigger. The Philadelphia Eagles visit the New England Patriots.
It’s easy to imagine these two teams meeting later—fast-forward to February 2027. and the question suddenly turns practical: would it be a surprise to find them in the Super Bowl together?. For a lot of fans. the answer is likely “no.” The matchup is framed as an early sneak peek into a clash between two of the more talented rosters in the league. and it brings a personal thread with it too. A.J. Brown might make an appearance against his former team, while the Eagles get a real test for their new coordinators.
Taken together. the schedule reads like a string of auditions: quarterbacks in Las Vegas trying to separate themselves. Super Bowl expectations colliding with offseason reshuffling in Seattle. and Philadelphia’s new leadership getting pushed immediately by a Patriots team that can still make a statement.
The preseason might not decide anything on paper. But it will decide what fans talk about when the regular season finally arrives—and for anyone planning their weekends, August is already setting the table.
NFL preseason 2026 Fernando Mendoza debut Cardinals Raiders August 13 Cowboys Seahawks August 15 Eagles Patriots August 22 Las Vegas Raiders quarterback room Klint Kubiak head coach A.J. Brown Eagles Patriots