Fernando Mendoza made his NFL debut Sunday afternoon, taking the reins of Las Vegas’ offense, and before anyone knew what hit them, he had already put six points on the board against *our* Seattle Seahawks. The No. 1 pick, fresh off Kirk Cousins’ trade, wasted zero time showing exactly what he could do with his legs, striding into the end zone for his first NFL score. It was a gut punch for the 12s right out of the gate.
Rookie Legs Against Our Vaunted D? Seriously?
Everyone knows Mendoza for his arm, right? The dude racked up 71 touchdowns and over 8,200 yards in his three-year collegiate career. That’s a ton of passing. But on Sunday, against what we thought was Seattle’s vaunted defense, it was his *legs* that had everyone talking. He started off like the pocket passer we expected, completing his first three throws. Classic Mendoza, right? But then, facing third-and-goal from our 10-yard line, he pulled a fast one. Mendoza took a QB draw, fake like he was gonna drop back, then just took off, racing through the mess. He juked out two defenders, pranced into the end zone, and then leaped into his teammates’ arms. If that play felt familiar, it’s because it was super similar to how Indiana sealed their national championship against Miami earlier this year. Ouch.
The Blockers Helped, But That Scouting Report…
And yeah, he got some help, no doubt. Las Vegas’ offensive line went hard against Seattle’s considerable might, opening up a clean lane for Mendoza to run through. Spencer Buford was right there with him, giving Mendoza the daylight he needed to cross the goal line. But here’s the kicker, what makes this play even wilder: veteran draft analyst Lance Zierlein, in his NFL.com scouting report, said Mendoza had “below-average pocket mobility” and was “unable to escape pressure once it’s in the pocket.” Well, he sure escaped *our* pressure on that play, didn’t he? It’s not like he’s going to be a scrambling legend, but that run definitely showed he’s not totally a liability in the open field. It’s a wake-up call, no doubt.
So, Mendoza got his name in lights. Las Vegas fans are hyped, waiting with bated breath to see what else he can accomplish on those QB carries. For us? It’s a tough look when a rookie’s first NFL score comes against our D on his opening drive. We’ve gotta tighten things up. You know Coach Macdonald and the boys are reviewing that tape, ready to make sure that doesn’t happen again. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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