Fernando Mendoza First Start: Raiders Rookie Faces Seahawks Defense
The No. 1 pick makes his NFL debut Sunday against the league’s top-ranked defense, and his coach used to run Seattle’s offense.
The wait is over in Las Vegas. Fernando Mendoza’s first start comes Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, and the No. 1 overall pick could hardly have drawn a tougher opening exam.
General manager John Spytek named Mendoza the starter on Wednesday after practice, the Raiders announced. The move came right after Las Vegas traded Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick.
| Seahawks at Raiders | Details |
|---|---|
| Kickoff | Sunday, Nov. 15, 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | CBS |
| Stadium | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas |
| Records | Seahawks 5-4 (2nd, NFC West); Raiders 4-5 (3rd, AFC West) |
| Line | Raiders 6.5-point home underdogs (per Yahoo Sports) |
Why the Raiders made the switch now
Cousins was not the problem. He started all nine games, throwing for 2,340 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, KCPQ reported. The team went 4-5 in those starts.
But the Vikings called before the deadline. Las Vegas weighed a few more weeks of Mendoza on the bench against a third-round pick and about $10 million in salary savings, Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein reported. They took the deal. We broke down what it means for both teams in our Kirk Cousins trade analysis.
The Raiders are also coming off a 38-17 loss at San Francisco. A rookie under center now gives the second half of the season a different purpose.
The Seahawks defense is the worst possible draw
Seattle has allowed the fewest yards per game in the NFL through nine weeks. Only three teams have given up fewer points. Coach Klint Kubiak didn’t sugarcoat it, calling Seattle “the best defense in the NFL,” per the AP.
There’s a twist. Kubiak was Seattle’s offensive coordinator when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in February. He knows that staff, and that staff knows him. Expect a chess match between people who used to share a hallway.
Fernando Mendoza first start: the numbers that matter
Mendoza has only played 10 NFL snaps. Here’s what he brings in, and what he’s walking into:
- College résumé: Heisman Trophy and national title at Indiana in 2025, completing 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and a nation-leading 41 touchdowns.
- Preseason: 25 of 45 for 240 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and four sacks taken.
- Run game help: Not much. The Raiders average 71.3 rushing yards per game, second fewest in the league, and a league-low 2.89 yards per carry.
- Defense help: Also thin. Las Vegas allows a league-worst 29.8 points per game.
- The bright side: The offensive line ranks second in ESPN’s pass-block win rate, and tight end Brock Bowers gives him a reliable target.
Stats from Yahoo Sports and the Raiders.
That last point matters most. A rookie with clean pockets can survive a tough defense. A rookie running for his life usually can’t.
A rare wait for a No. 1 pick
The Raiders sat Mendoza for half a season behind a 15-year veteran. That’s unusual for a top pick. He is the first No. 1 pick since Baker Mayfield in 2018 who did not start in Week 1, SI’s Raiders site noted.
Mendoza says the time helped. He told reporters this week he feels “a lot more confident” than he did in the spring.
What a good debut looks like
Don’t measure Sunday by the final score alone. Against this defense, a realistic win for Mendoza looks like this:
- No turnovers in the first half while he settles in.
- Quick, high-percentage throws to Bowers and the backs on early downs.
- Using his legs on third down. He moves better than Cousins did.
- Staying upright behind a line that has protected well all year.
If he checks those boxes, the Raiders have their answer for the rest of 2026, whatever the scoreboard says.
Seahawks at Raiders kicks off Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. For the full slate, see our NFL Week 10 schedule with TV channels.
