Raiders Have Given Meticulous Fernando Mendoza the Keys: What Should We Expect?

A sudden change at quarterback

Mendoza’s first start brings a difficult test: Seattle, the reigning Super Bowl champion, visits Allegiant Stadium on Sunday. Drew Lock is expected to start for the Seahawks for a second straight game while Sam Darnold recovers from rib and quad injuries.

Preparation behind the scenes

League sources said the Raiders believe Mendoza is ready and that he has prepared as a starter for weeks. He has taken practice reps with the starting unit and, during games, keeps his helmet on to hear play calls and repeat them as though he were in the huddle.

Mendoza has also worked as the scout-team quarterback against Las Vegas’s starting defense. Coaches adapt opponents’ playbooks to head coach Klint Kubiak’s terminology, giving him additional practice calling plays within the Raiders’ system. One source said his work on the field backs up the team’s confidence.

Questions about the first start

Mendoza’s NFL experience so far includes a Week 5 debut against the Patriots, when he threw for 48 yards on one drive. The Raiders selected him first overall after his Heisman-winning season at Indiana.

Some evaluators remain cautious. A longtime NFL scout said Mendoza could find the speed and physicality difficult, noting that practice does not match game conditions and that he had not faced a live rush trying to hit him in training camp. Another personnel executive expects the Raiders to limit what they ask of their prized quarterback, while a third questioned whether the supporting talent is strong enough for him to succeed quickly.

The article offers no single forecast for Mendoza’s immediate results. It reports both the Raiders’ belief that he is prepared and outside doubts about the adjustment, while Spytek says he believes his quarterback is ready.