They’re back! Raider Nation fans enter Allegiant Stadium for first time after ribbon-cutting
It is just a preseason game, but don’t tell that to Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.
Davis waited all year to be inside Allegiant Stadium to watch an NFL game ... with fans.
That moment finally arrived Saturday just before the exhibition against the Seattle Seahawks, with Davis and other dignitaries on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Raiders won 20-7 before 50,101 fans.
“It was great to have the Raider fans out there,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “I’m kind of numb to see the world come back together and be in this stadium with these fans again. It’s just warming my heart, I thank them all for coming out. We’re really excited about playing in front of them for the rest of the year.”
Last season, the Raiders decided not to allow fans inside the stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas before the 2020 season.
COVID-19 cases are again on the rise across the U.S., prompting the stadium and team to mandate face masks “in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State of Nevada Emergency Directive 047 ... regardless of vaccination status.”
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This will be the only preseason game the Raiders will play inside Allegiant Stadium. The next two exhibitions will be on the road against the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.
The real party will come just before the Raiders’ regular season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 12 in a Monday night game on ESPN.
Players standing out
Among the Raiders standing out against the Seahawks is cornerback Nate Hobbs, wide receiver Zay Jones, quarterback Nathan Peterman and running back Trey Ragas.
Hobbs: The former Illinois standout got the start and recorded a sack in the first quarter when he was left untouched on the right edge and sacked Geno Smith. He finished with two tackles.
“There’s certain guys that bring juice,” Gruden said. “They bring something to the game that others can’t. You can’t explain it. He’s one of these guys that’s into it all the time. He’s a nickel corner and might end up being a starter for us. We have a lot to look at before we make any conclusions, but we do like our fifth-round pick.”
Jones: Gruden liked what he saw from his wide receiver who had three receptions for 57 yards on the Raiders opening series.
“I would say his ceiling is untapped,” he said. “He’s taking advantage of these opportunities. I wanted to see Zay in 15-20 snaps. He made a couple great catches, a couple really good blocks. He’s got great energy. This guy is a hell of a kid, and I’m rooting for him.”
Peterman: He completed 29 of 39 for 246 yards, playing most of the game until late in the fourth quarter.
“I thought Nate Peterman has really shown some development on the practice field, and he carried it over today,” Gruden said. “Some long drives, I liked what he did today.”
Ragas: He finished with 13 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. He recorded the Raiders’ first score on a 1-yard run.
“Ragas didn’t know how to get in a three point stance when he got here,” Gruden said. “No one’s come further in a shorter period of time than him. He makes really good runs, he caught the ball and he picked up the blitz.”
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Up next
The Raiders will visit the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Aug. 21. The game will be shown in the Fresno area on CW 59 KFRE. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 6:02 PM.
