Fernando Mendoza didn’t waste a second making his mark against our Seahawks, rushing for a 10-yard touchdown on the very first drive of his NFL career start. That score gave the Raiders an early 7-0 lead, and if it felt eerily familiar, it’s because this kid has done this exact thing before.
Vegas Déjà Vu: We’ve Seen This Before
That 10-yard sprint for Mendoza’s first pro score was an instant replay of his college days. Just last season, in the national championship game, Mendoza busted out a 12-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play, helping Indiana seal a win over Miami (Fla.). Both those plays? Yep, classic QB draws. It gets wilder, too: his last college touchdown was that championship run, and now, his first NFL touchdown was another QB draw from a super similar distance. Talk about a signature play! Our defense just got caught with a classic Mendoza move right out of the gate.
Early Impact Beyond the TD
That opening drive for Mendoza wasn’t just about the touchdown run. He looked pretty solid overall. He completed all three passes he threw for 20 yards after the Raiders started that drive in Seahawks territory. By the time the clock hit halftime, the Raiders were up 10-7. Mendoza’s stat line going into the break was respectable: 11 of 13 passes completed for 90 yards, plus those 21 rushing yards, mostly from that early touchdown run.
So, a 10-7 lead for the Raiders heading into halftime. Our Hawks defense will definitely be looking to shut down Mendoza’s dual-threat ability in the second half. It’s a tough early test, and we’ll be watching to see how our guys respond.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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