It is officially Fernando Mendoza time in Sin City, and guess who gets to be his first victim? The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2026 No. 1 overall pick is set to make his professional starting debut against our very own Seattle Seahawks this Sunday, just days after veteran Kirk Cousins got dealt to the Minnesota Vikings. This isn’t just any game, folks, it’s a baptism by fire for Mendoza against the absolute best.
Raiders Rolling the Dice on a Rookie Against the Best D
The Raiders are making a massive move, handing the keys to a rookie after a rollercoaster season. They kicked things off with three straight wins, looking hot, but then stumbled, losing five of their next six games. Head coach Klint Kubiak even said he’d “evaluate everything” after a Week 7 loss to the Rams, including the quarterback position, but he stuck with Cousins for two more weeks. Now, with Cousins and his 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions gone, it’s all on Mendoza. He’s taking over a Raiders offense that’s actually pretty good, ranking eighth in the NFL with 26.4 points per game. But going from a veteran to a rookie mid-season, against our defense? That’s a gamble.
Mendoza isn’t just some guy, though. He’s coming off a dream senior season at Indiana, where he absolutely dominated, winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated record and a national championship. The dude was a superstar in college. He even saw a little action in Week 5 against the Patriots, completing six of eight passes for 48 yards in his pro debut. In the preseason, he threw one touchdown and two interceptions across all three games. So, he’s got some reps, but nothing like a full-on starter’s load in the regular season.
The Seahawks’ D Is Salivating at This Opportunity
Here’s where it gets real for Mendoza and the Raiders: he’s running into a brick wall known as the Seattle Seahawks’ defense. Our D ranks first in the entire NFL, giving up a ridiculously low 244.2 yards per game. Think about that for a second. We just held the Arizona Cardinals to 3 points in a dominant 17-3 win. This isn’t just a good defense, it’s THE defense to beat. Facing the No. 1 defense in your first career start, on the road, against a team that wants to smash any playoff hopes you might have? That’s a tall order for anyone, let alone a rookie. The Raiders are desperate to stay in the AFC playoff race, and Mendoza is their last resort. This game is huge for their season.
After he tries to survive the Emerald City on Sunday, Mendoza has to face the Denver Broncos in Week 11 and the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 before the Raiders get their bye week. But first, he gets to meet the 12s, and our defense, at Lumen Field. Get ready, Seattle, because this Sunday is going to be a statement game for our D!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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