The Las Vegas Raiders have shown a lot of patience with Fernando Mendoza this season. Most teams start their No. 1 pick quarterback immediately, but the Raiders had Kirk Cousins start the first nine games.
Even a four-game losing streak didn’t move the team off of their plan. However, the trade deadline came, and the Raiders thought it’d be better to get a draft pick for Cousins.
It’s not ideal timing, as Las Vegas plays the Seattle Seahawks, which has the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL. While the Raiders have been apprehensive to play Mendoza, it hasn’t had to do with his lack of preparedness. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the team has thought he was ready to play for a while.
“When I texted with people from the Las Vegas Raiders this week, is Fernando Mendoza ready? I got a quote, ‘Definitely yes’ multiple times,” Fowler said on “SportsCenter,” via Bleacher Report. “So, they felt like he was ready enough to where trading Kirk Cousins was not a panic move. Now, had Cousins stayed, he probably would have remained the starter for at least Week 10, but they felt like nine games in, Mendoza had got himself ready because in the spring he spent significant time just trying to get the steps down in (Klint) Kubiak’s offense with the play action, all the nuances.
“And then over time, the last few months, they tried to get him reps when they could in practice; he did really well with those, so he’s passed every test. And they also feel like he’s going to give them a little more athleticism. He can throw on the run, bigger arm than Kirk Cousins. So, they know he’s going to make some mistakes as a rookie, but they feel like the upside is going to create potentially some more splash plays.”
Tyler Linderbaum Praises Mendoza’s Work Ethic
Cousins was playing at a high level, so Mendoza has some big shoes to fill. The Raiders have the eighth-best scoring offense in the league right now.
With the defense being among the worst in the NFL, Mendoza is going to have to keep the pace set by Cousins if the Raiders hope to win games. Starting center Tyler Linderbaum is confident in Mendoza’s ability thanks to the work he has put in.
“Obviously there’s a learning curve there, but Fernando is someone who just works extremely hard,” Linderbaum said. “… Anytime you get that with someone who wants to be great, and then on top of that has great mentors with them, I think it’s very important. He’s ready. We’re ready.”
Mendoza Has Consistently Improved
The jump from college football to the NFL is a big one, especially for a quarterback. The Raiders did the wise thing by bringing Mendoza along slowly. According to quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, the rookie has shown consistent improvement.
“He literally walks through the play and goes through what his reads [are], his pre-snap communication [and] footwork,” Sullivan said. “His command of the offense, his ability to articulate the huddle calls [and] communicate at the line of scrimmage, has improved consistently. It’s certainly credit to him.”
Raiders’ True Feelings About Starting Fernando Mendoza Leak