How Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza is ‘doing more than asked’

Las Vegas Raiders principal owner Mark Davis recently made it known that he is quite pleased with starting quarterback Kirk Cousins amid whispers from some suggesting the Raiders should get No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza ready to take over as the team’s QB1. 

During his midweek news conference, first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak addressed Mendoza’s ongoing development while serving as Cousins’ primary backup. 

Raiders “very pleased” with Fernando Mendoza this fall

“I’m very pleased with where he’s at, and none of us really know until he goes and plays. But he’s doing everything that we’re asking him to do,” Kubiak said of Mendoza, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “Really, he’s doing more than asked, and that’s just his character.”

In some instances, a rookie quarterback selected with the first pick of an NFL Draft could get frustrated by remaining a second-choice option through the end of October. It sounds like that isn’t the case with Mendoza.

“I think it’s as simple as me just walking down the hall here to go get in the steam room when everybody’s gone, and he’s out here on the field by himself,” Kubiak said about Mendoza’s work ethic. “So, he’s not the only guy that’s doing that, but he’s putting in the extra time.”

Fernando Mendoza “will be ready” to start when his number is called

In what became the Raiders’ 45-17 Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots on Oct. 11, Mendoza replaced Cousins and then went 6-of-8 passing for 48 yards. While the Raiders are in the middle of a three-game losing streak, Cousins has played well enough to remain atop the depth chart. 

Specifically, Pro Football Reference shows that Cousins began Thursday tied for first in the league with 14 touchdown passes on the season. He’s 15th among qualified players with a 64.2 adjusted QBR and 13th with a 98.0 passer rating. That said, Cousins seems to know that he will need to stop the Raiders’ skid soon to stay in the lineup.  

“He’s making plays, learning every day, and just refining, as we’re all doing,” Cousins said about Mendoza on Wednesday. “I’m in year 15, still trying to refine, and he’s doing it. Thought he played well against New England, and he’ll be ready for when his number is called. He’ll be ready, and he’s staying ready.”

The 3-3 Raiders next host the 2-4 Los Angeles Rams this coming Sunday. As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Las Vegas as a 3.5-point home underdog for that game.