Mendoza’s Rough NFL Debut | Las Vegas Raiders News

Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza got a brutal reality check in his first NFL start, throwing a pick-six that Houston turned into a 14-point lead—his only stat was one interception and zero TDs. Despite the early disaster, the Raiders rallied behind backup Aidan O’Connell to win 22-20, but Mendoza’s shaky performance highlighted how vastly different the NFL is from college. Facing one of the league’s elite defenses, he struggled with pocket presence and decision-making, proving even small mistakes can be costly. Coach Klint Kubiak acknowledged plenty to improve on for both Mendoza and the staff. It’s a tough start, but a necessary one for a young QB learning the ropes. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/582ed3a27f8d56e0