Man, it finally happened! The 2026 No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, made his NFL debut in Week 5 for the Las Vegas Raiders. Yeah, it was during a brutal 45-17 blowout loss against the New England Patriots, but you gotta watch these moments, right?
Stepping Into The Fire
Mendoza got the call with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, replacing Kirk Cousins, who had already put up 19-of-28 for 243 yards and a touchdown. The rookie, a 23-year-old Heisman winner from 2025, stepped onto the field and actually looked pretty solid right off the bat! He started a clean 5-for-5, including a sweet 16-yard pass on Vegas’ final drive of the game. You could feel the buzz, even if the game was totally out of hand.
More Than Just Garbage Time?
That perfect start didn’t quite last, though. His first incompletion came on 1st-and-10 from the Patriots’ 20-yard line. He followed it up with a 6-yard pass that put them at 3rd-and-4 on the New England 14. After another incomplete pass on third down, the Raiders went for it on fourth. Mendoza scrambled, made a decent run, but just couldn’t quite get to the line to gain, leading to a turnover on downs and basically sealing the Patriots’ victory. His final stat line was 6-of-8 for 48 yards, with no touchdowns, no picks, and he didn’t even take a single sack. Not bad for a first taste of NFL action, right?
It’s wild, because Mendoza started the season as Cousins’ backup, making him the first No. 1 overall selected quarterback to not start Week 1 since Baker Mayfield back in 2018. Cousins, for his part, was already tied for the league lead with 11 passing touchdowns heading into this week. The Raiders, who were one of the last undefeated teams, are now 3-2 after dropping their last two games, including a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The Patriots, on the other hand, are riding a two-game win streak, having beaten the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, and they’re now 3-2 too.
What’s Next For Vegas?
So, what does this mean for the Raiders? They just got stomped and lost their second straight. Next week, they’ve got another challenge, facing off against the Buffalo Bills. With Mendoza now having tasted NFL action, even in a blowout, fans have to be wondering if this brief glimpse of the No. 1 pick is a sign of something more to come. Could that solid start be a spark they need going into another tough matchup?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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