Fernando Mendoza is about to get his first taste of NFL regular season football this Sunday in Las Vegas, and let’s just say the football gods aren’t exactly handing him a bouquet of roses. He’s making his debut against *our* Seattle Seahawks, the squad that’s currently allowing the fewest yards per game in the *entire league* through nine weeks. Only three defenses across the NFL have allowed fewer points. Mendoza better buckle up, because the Emerald City defense is coming.
‘Spring Fernando’ Is Gone, But Our D Has Questions
Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2026 NFL Draft, didn’t want to talk about himself in the third person, but his Raiders quarterback coach Mike Sullivan definitely does. Sullivan apparently references “Spring Fernando” in the QB room to highlight just how much improvement the rookie has made. “Spring Fernando” was the college superstar: Heisman Trophy winner, national championship at Indiana in his lone season. But that guy, Mendoza admits, didn’t understand his NFL playbook as deeply, responded differently to blitzes, showed less command in the huddle, and threw the ball with less accuracy.
The Raiders aren’t knocking him for it, though. You don’t take a guy first overall if you don’t believe, as Head Coach Klint Kubiak said. Apparently, observing 15-year NFL veteran Kirk Cousins for half a season, and running the scout team against an NFL defense each week, has turned Mendoza into “Fall Fernando” or “Winter Fernando” or whatever they’re calling this new, improved version. The Raiders even traded Cousins at the deadline for a third-round pick and $10 million in salary credit, facing their future head-on with Mendoza. Our 12s know all about facing the future, and we’re ready for it.
Our #1 Defense Is Hungry for a Rookie Debut
This Sunday’s matchup is a whole vibe, not just because it’s a rookie’s first start. The Raiders’ head coach, Klint Kubiak, was our offensive coordinator nine months ago, leading our offense to the Super Bowl. Talk about intimate knowledge between play-callers! He knows us, we know him. But knowing doesn’t mean stopping, especially when you’re facing a defense that’s been lights out.
Kubiak is trying to take the pressure off his young QB, saying they have “an awareness of his situation” but aren’t “peeling back anything.” He wants Mendoza to “do his job and not worry about a whole lot else,” with “everybody does their 1/11th” and the whole team elevating its play. We’ll see about that. Our defense isn’t going to care about rookie jitters or team concepts; they’re going to come out and do what they do best: shut down offenses. This is a chance for our boys to show the entire league exactly what they’re made of against a brand-new face.
This isn’t just a game. This is our defense making a statement, forcing a rookie QB to grow up real fast. Can Mendoza handle the heat? Or will our D feast on a “Spring Fernando” who’s still got some learning to do? Get ready for Sunday, because the Seahawks are about to put on a show.
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.
Leave a Reply