Fernando Mendoza walked into his first NFL preseason game Thursday night and threw a touchdown. The Raiders lost to the Arizona Cardinals 27-14, but the rookie quarterback out of Indiana gave Las Vegas fans something to watch.
According to Yahoo Sports, Cousins started the game and led a scoring drive before Mendoza entered late in the first quarter. Mendoza finished 10 of 16 for 97 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. His one rough moment came on an ill-advised sack, the only clear rookie mistake of the night.
First-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak was not ready to hand Mendoza the job after the performance. "Kirk's been getting the reps with the ones," Kubiak said, per Pro Football Talk. "I think he's had a solid training camp and it's his job to lose." Kubiak did acknowledge what he saw from the young quarterback, describing Mendoza as a "ascending player who's got to keep getting better."
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and top pick in the draft, did show flashes of what made him a star at Indiana. Yahoo Sports noted he nailed a signature third-and-eight out route, the same kind of throw he made regularly in college. He also played under center during the game, something he did not do in college, and appeared comfortable doing it. His best throw of the night was a dot between four zone defenders over the middle.
Cousins had also played well before making way for Mendoza. The first Raiders drive under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak featured plays out of 11, 12, 21 and 22 personnel, with motion, play-action, and under-center snaps mixed in. Cousins moved around the pocket effectively. Tight end Michael Mayer capped the drive with a score.
On the Arizona side, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love made a strong case for significant early-season playing time. Love started over veteran Tyler Allgeier and out-snapped him 16 to 6 during the first two drives. He showed a spin move, a hurdle, and good balance throughout his carries. He also lined up on a third-and-three play-action rep from inside the 10-yard line, a sign that the coaching staff trusts him in critical situations.
Love did come out of the game with a minor ankle injury, which adds some uncertainty. A bigger concern for Arizona may be the knee injury to second-round guard Chase Bisontis. New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said it does not look good. Bisontis plays a role in both the run and pass game, and his absence could affect how Love is used going forward.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett ran the Cardinals offense for most of the night. Marvin Harrison Jr. drew a defensive pass interference call on a slot fade and then caught a crossing route for a score. Michael Wilson made an underneath grab and won on an out route against press man coverage. Tight end Trey McBride played only one snap.
Back in Las Vegas, Mendoza is unlikely to win the starting job before the Raiders open the regular season at home against the Miami Dolphins on September 13. He did get some first-team reps in training camp after Cousins was held out following an on-field altercation with defensive end Maxx Crosby, which gave the rookie valuable experience. But as of now, the job belongs to Cousins.
In the backfield for Las Vegas, Ashton Jeanty carried between the tackles with a hard finish on his runs. Fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr. drew attention by ripping off a big gain that turned heads among those watching the depth chart battle at running back.
