Before the Las Vegas Raiders fell in a narrow 33-30 game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6, they got trounced by the New England Patriots. However, one highlight of the embarrassing loss to the Patriots was getting to see Fernando Mendoza in real action for the first time.
He got his first bit of playing time last Sunday in garbage time, and while Mendoza didn’t score a touchdown, he looked comfortable. And most importantly, the game wasn’t too big for him. His play won't start any quarterback controversies, but it was nice for Raider Nation to see the future.
What did the film say about his performance, though? Let's take a deep dive and see what he did well and what he could improve.
Fernando Mendoza showed poise during his Week 5 playing time
When it comes to Mendoza and his evaluation coming out of college, his poise led the way. It jumped off the film during his quick play late in the fourth.
One play that shows his poise came late in the drive. Mendoza starts to throw to his right but sees the coverage jumping the route. He holds onto the ball and tucks it away. He then avoids the pass rush and hits Dylan Laube for a first down.
Also, Fans got to see his arm strength and velocity during that drive. On this play, he looks for a curl route to Tucker's right. He opens to his left at first to check the other side of the field. He shows off his timing and anticipation, coming backside and throwing the comeback.
This was his best throw.
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) October 14, 2026
Timing and anticipation while starting to his left and coming back to the curl route. pic.twitter.com/rtXbNNldl9
The velocity difference between Kirk Cousins and Mendoza stands out. Another area that stands out is his ability to move and show off his athleticism. However, he still has areas to improve to show he is ready.
His last rep of the game is a great example. Mendoza regretted this play after the game. He faces cover 0, and the Patriots send eight. That means he will have to make a quick decision.
After the snap, Thompkins is open on the choice route. Mendoza feels the pressure and, instead of standing in there, he bails out of the pocket. He almost makes the first down with his legs, and you can see his all-out effort.
Mendoza talked about this play after the game.
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) October 14, 2026
He should have stayed in pocket a little longer and hit Thompkins.
If he's going to run fully commit because he might have made it if he did pic.twitter.com/4NSGmGW6H3
Mendoza's growth will be key in the future, but right now Cousins owns the show. The film showed the elements of a franchise quarterback, which should still excite fans.
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