Raiders’ Mendoza discusses lessons he learned vs. Texans

Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza had Las Vegas Raiders fans excited about the franchise’s future after he produced an impressive performance in his preseason debut against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 13. 

That said, Mendoza looked more like a first-year pro who is still learning about life in the NFL during Thursday’s preseason matchup at the Houston Texans. Following the Raiders’ 22-20 win, Mendoza spoke like a young prospect who understands he may not yet be fully ready to lead a pro offense as a first-choice starter. 

Fernando Mendoza knows “there’s a lot more learning to do”

“I came away with that there’s a lot more learning to do, and that although maybe you had a lot of success at another level, this level is a whole step further,” Mendoza explained, per Sam Warren of The Athletic. 

While Mendoza was responsible for several expected “rookie moments” against the Cardinals, he went 10-of-16 passing for 97 yards and a touchdown. Following that outing, some noteworthy members of the NFL community said that first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak should name Mendoza the team’s Week 1 starter over veteran Kirk Cousins.

However, such talk likely won’t be so loud next week. Against the Texans, Mendoza completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 86 yards and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. That pick-six ended Mendoza’s first drive of the contest, and he later admitted that he did not make “a good throw” in that moment. 

Fernando Mendoza better understands a “tiny mistake” may not be so tiny in the NFL

While Kubiak said after the game he wasn’t yet prepared to name his Week 1 QB1, it’s widely assumed Cousins will start the Raiders’ regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13 as long as he is healthy.

As for Mendoza, the pick-six served as a reminder regarding how NFL defensive players are simply quicker and better than the opposition the signal-caller faced in college. 

“The margins are so small,” Mendoza said about the interception. “One tiny mistake can lead to catastrophe. So I want to make sure that I best serve my teammates and get better from these experiences.”

Mendoza likely won’t begin the regular season atop the Raiders’ depth chart, but he should receive opportunities to bounce back during the club’s preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers
on Aug. 27.