HOUSTON — Sweaty aft signifier Tuesday and dressed successful metallic and achromatic and red, Fernando Mendoza lamented the prime helium threw successful signifier against the Houston Texans.
Or not.
“There were plays that I loved and plays that I privation I had back,” the Las Vegas Raiders rookie backmost said astatine Houston Methodist Training Center. “But successful reality, that’s a lie. I privation I didn’t person it backmost due to the fact that it’s a increasing experience. It’s practice. It’s signifier and this is what I love.”
Having quarterbacked the first-team offense Tuesday with his preseason debut successful the rearview mirror, Mendoza is acceptable to use his takeaways Thursday against the Texans again astatine NRG Stadium. Raiders manager Klint Kubiak said the reigning Heisman Trophy victor is acceptable “to get tons of reps this preseason,” stopping abbreviated of specifying however overmuch Mendoza volition play versus Houston.
Mendoza past week successful the opener led 4 drives with the second-team offense, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown to spell with six rushing yards. His archetypal and 3rd drives went obscurity fast, but helium capped his 2nd thrust with his scoring pass and led Las Vegas into field-goal scope — successful which rookie kicker Kansei Matsuzawa missed disconnected the close upright from 38 yards — earlier ceding his presumption to Aidan O’Connell.
“There was a batch of things I saw against Arizona,” Mendoza said. “I deliberation it was bully to get my feet bedewed and we weren’t capable to travel retired determination with the win, which I enactment connected myself due to the fact that I deliberation my teammates did fantastic. But I deliberation it’s a bully learning experience, and I’m looking guardant to playing Houston due to the fact that one, they’re a large defense. Two, I consciousness similar present with the acquisition — beryllium capable to determination forward.”
Scour Mendoza’s preseason debut and spot him settee into Kubiak’s offense, commanding the huddle and pouch with poise progressively arsenic play evolved. Feet that were anxious connected the opening thrust were calmer into the 2nd fractional arsenic Mendoza progressed done his reads of the defense, delivering walk aft walk with purpose.
Still, helium intends to settee much having since reviewed his preseason debut.
“My feet were a small fast, a small retired of control,” Mendoza explained. “(On Thursday, I privation to) beryllium a small much successful control. Survey the field. See it a small better. I’m truly excited for this upcoming crippled and each the opportunities that I person successful the future.”
Asked if helium expects the archetypal squad to play Thursday, Kubiak impassively said “we’ll see,” suggesting Mendoza mightiness beryllium successful enactment to commencement alternatively of backmost Kirk Cousins, who started past Thursday. It’s unclear however galore of Houston’s starters (especially defensively) volition play against Las Vegas, but if they each sit, Mendoza recovered retired firsthand Tuesday what a apical defence looks similar successful the NFL.
The Texans flustered the Raiders collective, coaxing Mendoza’s interception by the extremity enactment and picking disconnected Cousins astatine the extremity of practice. The All-Pro pass-rush tandem of Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter overwhelmed their violative line. Running lanes were a rarity. Mishaps, abbreviated gains and incompletions weren’t.
Mendoza, aft a spirited effort that garnered praise from Anderson, said helium intended to ticker the signaling of signifier to hole for the crippled Thursday. He’s inviting the absorption he’s faced truthful acold portion knowing it tin springboard his semipermanent improvement.
Interception connected Tuesday beryllium damned.
“There’s going to beryllium antagonistic plays,” Mendoza said. “Whether there’s a antagonistic play, whether from the teammates, whether it’s me, immoderate it is, we each are capable to bounce backmost from it and person a forward-thinking and optimistic mindset.
“Whether it’s a tranquilo, which means ‘Calm’ successful Spanish, I accidental ‘Tranquilo’ and determination forward. You know, it’s each good. … I’m a rookie quarterback. I request to get amended and larn from experiences.”
Contact Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected X.
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