Fernando Mendoza got the start for the Raiders and it absolutely blew up in his face on his fifth play of the game, handing the Texans an 80-yard pick six early on. This was not the way you want to kick things off, especially when you are out there with most of the second-team offense. The dude threw a short dump pass over the middle, and Wade Woodaz just scooped it clean, taking it all the way to the house. Gone. Just like that.
What Went Down On That Fifth Play
You gotta wonder what happened on that throw. It looked like running back Mike Washington might have made the mistake, moving after the pass was already out there. That left Woodaz in the perfect spot to snag it, and he was outta there for the score. An 80-yard house call on your fifth play? That’s brutal, man. It immediately put the Raiders in a deeper hole.
Déjà Vu All Over Again?
This defensive score came right after the Texans offense had already marched down the field for an opening drive touchdown, making it a crushing 14-0 game. And here’s the kicker: this pick six wasn’t even new territory for Mendoza. He tossed another one in joint practices with the Texans just Tuesday. Yeah, that previous one came after some good work, but this one? This one feels different. It just completely sucked the air out of his start.
Mendoza has gotta put this behind him, and fast. He needs to rally, because starts like this can absolutely wreck your confidence and your chances. What he does next is going to tell us everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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