No. 1 pick Mendoza debuts late in Raiders' loss: 'He did a good job'

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  Ryan McFaddenOct 11, 2026, 06:29 PM ET

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  Ryan McFadden covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN's NFL Nation. Prior to ESPN, McFadden was a Denver Broncos beat reporter for the Denver Post. McFadden also wrote about the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Fernando Mendoza's highly anticipated NFL debut didn't come at the prettiest time. The Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback trotted onto the soggy field at Gillette Stadium in the rain while his team trailed by 28 points late in the fourth quarter.

With the game out of reach at the six-minute mark Sunday, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wanted to give the No. 1 pick exposure. Mendoza made the most of his opportunity, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards. He helped the Raiders reach the red zone, but they couldn't put points on the board because Mendoza's scramble attempt was short of the first-down marker on fourth and short.

"It's a good experience," Mendoza said. "Every rookie has it at some point, so it was just that time. I was really proud of how the offense rallied even late in the game, and with undeniable effort there at the end."

The Raiders' 45-17 loss to the Patriots was anything but memorable. In their second straight defeat, the offense couldn't get anything going, rushing for just 38 yards, while starting veteran Kirk Cousins was under duress from beginning to end.

On top of that, Las Vegas' defense was picked apart by Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, allowing the MVP runner-up from last season to record 374 passing yards and five total touchdowns.

But the somber afternoon offered another glimpse of Mendoza -- the future of the quarterback position in Las Vegas. While Kubiak said the team's plan at quarterback remains unchanged, the first-time head coach was impressed by Cousins' understudy in his short time on the field.

"He did a good job," Kubiak said.

When Mendoza played in his first game of the preseason, he expressed how the NFL's speed caught him by surprise. With more time learning behind Cousins and standing hip-to-hip with quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan each game, reading out play calls, the Heisman Trophy winner looked more comfortable under center.

He completed a 9-yard pass to tight end Ian Thomas on third-and-5. Mendoza then advanced the ball to New England's 35-yard line with a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Tre Tucker on a comeback route.

Mendoza completed three of his next five passes, showcasing his ability to make the right decisions and get the ball out quickly. For all the good Mendoza showed, the Raiders' final possession didn't live up to his standards since they couldn't score. Mendoza said he should've stayed in the pocket and thrown to practice squad wide receiver Deven Thompkins instead of scrambling to the outside of three yards on fourth down.

"That is totally my fault, and I let the offense down on that play," Mendoza said. "I need to work on my speed because I wasn't fast enough to get to the edge. But I need to stand in there and throw [Thompkins] the ball over the middle."

Cousins said Mendoza played "well." At the same time, there's a strong understanding of who is still the captain of the offense. Cousins was far from the reason behind the Raiders' worst performance of the season. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 243 yards, a touchdown and a passer rating of 106.7.

It didn't help that Cousins was sacked four times and pressured on 12 of 31 dropbacks (39%) -- the second-highest rate he has faced this season.

As for Mendoza, it's uncertain when he will see the field again, especially with Cousins continuing to play at a high level. But Sunday was a stepping stone, to say the least.

"I'm [going to] keep on controlling the controllables," Mendoza said. "But it is good to have some regular season snaps to go off, evaluate, and get better from. So, if in the future I am called upon, I at least have a little experience rather than none."