The Las Vegas Raiders got an encouraging glimpse of their future Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Arizona Cardinals in a 27-14 preseason loss.
No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza made his highly anticipated preseason debut and showed plenty of promise, throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jack Bech while completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards.
Mendoza became the first top overall draft pick to throw a touchdown pass in his first preseason game since Baker Mayfield did so for the Cleveland Browns against the New York Giants in 2018.
The Heisman Trophy winner led one touchdown drive during his four series, not counting a kneel-down at the end of the first half. He narrowly missed adding another touchdown in the fourth quarter when his pass sailed just beyond the reach of Deven Thompkins.
Mendoza also delivered one of the night’s most impressive throws when he threaded a 19-yard pass between three defenders to fellow rookie Malik Benson in the second quarter.
“Everything came together on that play,” Mendoza said, pointing to the timing and connection with his receiver, while acknowledging that some of his other throws were slightly off.
The Raiders’ performance provided plenty to evaluate as they continue preparing for the regular season, particularly with Mendoza getting his first taste of NFL game action.
The Raiders’ projected starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, played one series and made the most of it. Cousins completed 5 of 6 passes for 50 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to Michael Mayer.
Arizona’s starting quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, also played one series and produced a touchdown. He completed all five of his passes for 44 yards, connecting with Marvin Harrison Jr. on a 7-yard touchdown.
Brissett and former Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew combined to complete their first 15 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns, helping Arizona take a 21-14 lead by halftime.
The Cardinals’ impressive passing streak continued into the second half, reaching 16 consecutive completions before Minshew finally threw an incompletion on a rollout to the right.
The game had extra intrigue because it was expected to feature a rematch between the quarterbacks from January’s college football national championship game.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck did not play because of sore ribs. Mendoza and Beck met in the national championship game earlier this year, with Mendoza leading Indiana to a 27-21 victory over Beck and Miami.
Mendoza’s transition to the NFL therefore took center stage, giving Raiders fans their first extended look at the quarterback selected with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Raiders also kept star pass rusher Maxx Crosby out of the game. His absence wasn’t entirely unexpected after coach Kubiak said earlier in the week that Crosby’s playing status remained uncertain. Crosby underwent knee surgery in January but has participated throughout training camp.
Cornerback Jermod McCoy, meanwhile, made his return to preseason action after missing nearly two years because of a torn ACL. McCoy played with the second-team defense and was the primary defender on two Cardinals touchdown plays.
The performance was another important step in McCoy’s comeback as the Raiders continue evaluating their defensive personnel.
Arizona also got its first preseason look at rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who was selected third overall in the draft.
Love carried the ball 11 times for 58 yards, showing the explosiveness that made him one of the most highly regarded offensive prospects in the draft.
While the Cardinals ultimately controlled the game, the Raiders can take some positives from Mendoza’s debut and the continued development of several young players.
For Las Vegas, the 27-14 defeat was a reminder that preseason results matter less than evaluating personnel and building toward the regular season. Mendoza’s first touchdown and flashes of accuracy provided a promising starting point for the rookie quarterback’s NFL journey.
