The Las Vegas Raiders have tabbed rookie Fernando Mendoza as their starting quarterback, moving away from veteran Kirk Cousins to jumpstart a struggling offense under head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko as the team sits at a 4-5 record.
How does Mendoza change the run game?
Las Vegas has struggled to establish an effective ground game for the past three seasons, and that limitation will likely persist with the rookie under center. The team still requires reinforcements at the wide receiver position, and the offensive guard spots remain a weekly question mark.
Mendoza will inevitably experience rookie growing pains, including interceptions and tough losses as he learns the professional game. However, his presence immediately alters the geometry of the field for Kubiak’s playbook.
Why does play-action become a legitimate threat?
Play-action passes are notoriously difficult to stop when the quarterback genuinely threatens to escape the pocket or elude an incoming defender. Cousins offered high accuracy, but any missed timing on a play-action sequence almost always resulted in a sack.
Should Mendoza use his mobility even marginally, it opens up the play-action game for the Raiders and creates opportunities for deeper, more explosive completions. The rookie gives Las Vegas a passer who can make the right read, throw accurately across the field, or tuck the ball and run when downfield options disappear.
Kubiak and Janocko no longer have to restrict their play-calling based on what their quarterback cannot do. Several Raiders wide receivers excel at creating separation and rank near the top of the league in win-percentage rates, meaning the rookie can deliver the football before defenses settle.
What did Klint Kubiak say about consistency?
The coaching staff wants to see the same steady performance from players on Sundays that they display during weekday preparations at Allegiant Stadium.
“I think that’s what you want from the coaches you work with and the players you work with, is that there’s no surprises and people are the same all the time,” Kubiak said.
“Obviously, intensity gets notched up, but you want to go see what they’ve done in practice. You want to see how it shows up in the game, and usually it’s those emotionally stable individuals that are able to treat practice and the games the same way.”
