That 80-yard pick-six Fernando Mendoza tossed against the Houston Texans on Thursday night? Yeah, that pretty much locked up his spot on CBS Sports’ “biggest losers” list for the preseason. It was a tough, tough moment that screamed what most of us already figured out: veteran Kirk Cousins was always going to be the guy under center for the Raiders.
The “No Sense” Truth About The Raiders’ QB Room
Look, no matter how much noise Fernando Mendoza made in the offseason, the writing was on the wall. Kirk Cousins brings years of experience to that huddle, and Mendoza? He’s still finding his feet in the NFL, literally just getting started. To sign a seasoned pro like Cousins and then throw the rookie into the starting lineup for the season just would not make a lick of sense. Raiders fans were still hyped, though. Expectations were super high, hoping for something absolutely spectacular from Mendoza in his first chance to show the world he could make that leap from college ball to the pros. But the hard truth hit pretty fast.
A Really Tough Night at the Office
Mendoza’s game against the Texans was brutal. Besides that soul-crushing 80-yard pick-six, he also took an 11-yard sack that just killed a drive. He rounded out the entire night with only 86 yards, which is just not what you want to see from a guy with “super high” expectations. Garrett Podell and Zachary Pereles over at CBS Sports didn’t pull any punches, noting it was enough to land him on their “naughty list.” It was one of those nights where everything seemed to go wrong in front of a big crowd. You hate to see it.
Now, it wasn’t all bad. There was one legit flash of brilliance: a sweet “22-yard dart to Raiders wide receiver Jalen Nailor in the middle of the field,” fitting “just in between the Texans’ zone defense.” That was a pure dime. But Podell and Pereles pointed out Mendoza wasn’t asked to make those “high-difficulty throws over the middle in college,” and those are a staple of Head Coach Klint Kubiak’s Shanahan-tree offense. So, yeah, despite that occasional flash, it was still a genuinely tough night.
It was just one night, but it sure did land Mendoza squarely on that “naughty list.” The good news for the Raiders, I guess, is they still pulled out the win, 22-20. But for Mendoza, this is just the beginning of his journey. He is far from a “loser” and clearly learning the ropes in the big leagues. We will all be watching to see how he bounces back next.
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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