Fernando Mendoza’s first preseason run in a Raiders uniform gave Las Vegas exactly what it wanted to see from the No. 1 overall pick: flashes of a quarterback who can handle the job, operate the offense, and keep the ball moving.
Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals, Mendoza played most of the game and finished 10 of 16 for 97 passing yards in Las Vegas’ loss. The result didn’t matter much in August. What mattered was the tape, and there was plenty there for the Raiders to like after a solid training camp under head coach Klint Kubiak.
Mendoza showed off the traits that made him the top pick in the draft. He threw with accuracy, got the ball out on time, and showed he can read defenses quickly. Just as important, he was willing to take the easy throw when it was there, checking the ball down and helping the offense stay on schedule.
That was a welcome sight for a team that has spent the last few weeks facing its own roster in camp and offseason workouts. Thursday offered a real test, and Mendoza answered it well enough to give Las Vegas cautious optimism about what comes next.
He also did it while working behind largely the Raiders’ reserve offensive line. Arizona had backups in the mix too, but the point still stands: Mendoza looked more competent in one preseason game than any quarterback Las Vegas rolled out last season.
The Raiders inserted him on their second offensive drive, and he also faced a few Cardinals starters along the way. There were moments when the rookie looked exactly like a quarterback who can thrive if the pocket is clean. In those situations, he appeared poised to make the right read, stay on time, and deliver the football accurately.
That matters for a Raiders team that has struggled in recent seasons with blocking, quarterback decision-making, and overall execution. Mendoza is still early in the process, but Thursday reinforced the idea that Las Vegas may finally be moving in the right direction, especially if the front office keeps improving the roster around him.
Of course, it wasn’t spotless. Mendoza took a sack that reflected the jump in speed he’s facing as a pro compared to college, and there were a few throws he likely could have completed with a sharper read. There were also completions that could have turned into bigger gains with more time and a deeper feel for Kubiak’s offense.
Mendoza said during training camp that the details have already been a big part of his growth.
“I think it comes from the standard that Coach [Klint] Kubiak, Coach [Andrew] Janocko and Coach [Mike] Sullivan demand. Especially in OTAs.
There was maybe one or two practices, or two reps, that I thought, ‘Hey, this was a really, really good rep.’ Then when we get in the film room, and maybe it might have slipped past in college, but when we get in the film room, you get torn apart because of a small detail," Mendoza said during training camp.
“Then you end up realizing when you watch the game film and you talk to the veterans, ‘Hey, in the game, the margins are only even smaller.’ In reality, when you thought that was a great ball, it's really a 50/50 ball because you didn't throw in the correct timing."
“Being able to learn from that and have, honestly, frustrations with my own play has helped my growth. It has helped new neurological pathways form because it creates that pressure, and that positive pressure and that positive stress, in order to grow and learn as a quarterback."
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For Las Vegas, that means a different kind of evaluation point on Saturday, with Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis expected to handle the snaps in Becks absence. The injury is not considered serious, but it does shift the feel of the matchup and gives the Raiders a chance to see how Arizonas backup plan looks right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Mendoza Just Gave Raiders Fans A Real Reason To Dream
Fernando Mendozas first NFL preseason action gave the Raiders a fresh glimpse of what the future could look like under center. He came in to relieve Kirk Cousins and handled the moment with poise, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards while showing a quick release and a solid command of Klint Kubiaks offense. Even with some pressure around him, Mendoza looked like a quarterback who belonged on the field and one who could grow into much more than a backup role.
The appeal for Raiders fans is obvious: there was enough there to imagine a longer runway, not just a solid debut. Mendoza took a sack and had to navigate a defense that made him work, but he still found a way to move the offense and finish with a touchdown, the sort of early sign that can fuel optimism in a franchise always looking for stability at the position. Under Kubiak, the Raiders have at least one young passer giving them a reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Rookies Face Their First Real Test Under Klint Kubiak
Klint Kubiak has spent training camp trying to make the Las Vegas Raiders standards unmistakable, and that approach is about to meet its first live examination in the preseason opener. He has repeatedly pushed the idea that practice has to look and feel like game day, with competitiveness, effort and a team-first attitude serving as the baseline for everyone in camp.
For the rookies and younger players, the first real test is likely to come in the areas that can decide roster spots quietly but decisively. Kubiak has already mapped out a structured plan for who will play and when, and he has singled out special teams as a place where newcomers can separate themselves as the Raiders start sorting out who can hold up when the intensity rises. [Read more 🡒]