The Las Vegas Raiders snagged a 22-20 preseason win against the Houston Texans on Thursday night, but honestly, what everyone’s still talking about is rookie QB Fernando Mendoza’s wild, rollercoaster performance. While the final score looks good, this game had some seriously dramatic moments, especially for the number one overall pick under center.
Mendoza’s Mixed Bag: From Big Gain to Big Mistake
Mendoza stepped onto the field playing with only one fellow starter, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, against Houston’s second-string defense. He showed some flashes right away, hitting Nailor for a sweet 22-yard gain that got you thinking “alright, maybe this kid’s got it.” But then, just when you’re feeling good, the drive went totally sideways. Mendoza tossed an 80-yard Pick Six right into the hands of rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz. He threw the ball behind his target, a seriously bad rookie mistake that swung the momentum in a flash.
It wasn’t all bad, though. After that gut-punch of an interception, Mendoza regrouped a bit, connecting with rookie Malik Benson for an 18-yard completion. These two have clearly built some chemistry this summer, which is something to hold onto. Still, Benson had two drops later in the quarter, so he’s got to prove he can deliver when it really counts. Mendoza finished the first half, which was all he played, going 8 of 15 for 86 yards, with that one brutal interception. His quarterback rating ended up at a rough 42.6. He was under a ton of pressure behind the No. 2 offensive line, but did manage to string together six straight completions at one point, even if it was against the Texans’ third-string defense. It was a learning process, for sure, and definitely not as sharp as his showing last week against Arizona.
The QB Battle and Missing Stars
Let’s be real, while there was some media chatter about Mendoza possibly stealing the starting job for Week 1, this game pretty much confirms Kirk Cousins is still the guy. The Raiders’ starting offense didn’t even play, which is the biggest signal Cousins is locked in. On the defensive side, the Raiders’ first-unit defense also sat this one out, especially after a tough preseason opener against Arizona and that rough joint practice earlier in the week against Houston.
Star defensive end Maxx Crosby was also a no-show, and it looks like he won’t be back until the season opener against the Miami Dolphins on September 13. He’s coming back from knee surgery and has been working hard in camp, even practicing against the Texans on Tuesday, but they’re playing it smart with him. Meanwhile, the Texans rolled out most of their starters, including QB C.J. Stroud, at the start of the game, giving their guys some reps before pulling them. For the Raiders’ defense, only possible starters like cornerback Darien Porter, defensive end Malcolm Koonce, and rookies Zeke Masses and Treydan Stukes saw the field.
So, Mendoza gets another shot next week in the preseason finale against San Francisco. He’ll need to show some serious polish and cut out those big mistakes if he wants to prove he’s the future. This next game is huge for him to build some confidence before the regular season kicks off!
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.
Leave a Reply