The Las Vegas Raiders got flat-out embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 11. Losing is one thing, and Raider Nation is sadly used to that. But getting dismantled for the fifth time in a 10-game stretch is more than any fan base should be accustomed to.
However, most fans realize that, at this juncture, it is pointless to scrape together a few wins at the end of what is already a lost campaign, as this would jeopardize their draft position. Competitive losses like the ones the Raiders suffered in Weeks 9 and 10 were right in the sweet spot.
Las Vegas battled throughout both contests, with several players showing promise in each. But they ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, further pushing them up in the draft order and landing them one tantalizing step closer to their dream prospect: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Raiders' loss to Cowboys just means one step closer to Fernando Mendoza
Obviously, plenty will change before April. But Mendoza is the most common name slotted in for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and there are a handful of quarterback-needy teams that are currently in Las Vegas' way.
Of course, the Raiders and the rest of the NFL still have seven games left in the season to settle the draft order. As of right now, Las Vegas would have the No. 6 overall pick again. However, they would have dropped way back to No. 11 with a win against Dallas.
Again, a competitive loss might not have taken the wind out of Raider Nation's sails as much, but a loss is a loss when it comes to a team's record. There are currently six teams with two wins or fewer, and four more with three wins, so it will be a tight race to finish out the year.
RELATED: Troy Aikman said the quiet part out loud about Raiders’ lingering nightmare
There may not be a team in the league that needs a quarterback more than the Raiders, and Mendoza is as enticing a prospect as anyone in the draft class. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, this dual-threat would be an immediate difference-maker and Las Vegas' best chance at a franchise quarterback.
Mendoza can make every play on the football field, and he is not shy about making bold throws. He's tossed a nation-leading 30 touchdowns this season and only 5 interceptions, and he'll uncork the football, as his 10.85 yards per attempt are the best in the country as well.
He has pinpoint accuracy, completing 73.0% of his passes, and he's tacked on 216 yards and five touchdowns on the ground as well. Mendoza has drawn comparisons to everyone from Joe Burrow and Jared Goff to Jaxson Dart and Bo Nix, so if he pans out, the Raiders truly can't go wrong.
Losing is still painful, but if all of these losses amounted to Mendoza landing in Las Vegas, it is hard to imagine that Raider Nation wouldn't be thrilled with this consolation prize. Monday's loss to the Cowboys was just another step in turning this dream into a reality.