Sunday Night Football was a hit this week as the Kansas City Chiefs took on their AFC West rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, and overcame their opponents’ toughness in a 30-27 win. Seeing the game from the sidelines was this year’s No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.
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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had some encouraging words for the rookie to look up to.
“It’s going to do a lot of great things for him, Kirk is a true pro—it’ll be great for Fernando to learn and just take in,” Mahomes said of the dynamic between Kirk Cousins and Mendoza. “… Hopefully not too much, it went really well for me and Alex, maybe not that much unless I’m gone, or something like that.”
“Hopefully not too much because it went really well for me and Alex (Smith). Hopefully maybe not that much unless I’m gone or something like that.”
Mahomes was in Mendoza’s place when he was drafted by the Chiefs in 2017. Cousins was also in Smith’s place, being the veteran in this equation. Smith would take the lead for the Chiefs one last time that year, and Mahomes replaced him as QB1 from 2018 onward.
Mendoza, who was hyped as a future superstar thanks to his collegiate career heroics, is also expected to perhaps be one of the best in the league when his time comes. Until then, Cousins will have the keys.
The veteran, who was signed by the Raiders only this year, has brought some much-needed momentum to a franchise used to being on the losing side. The Raiders are 3-1 in the league now, with dominant performances from Cousins. Through four games, he has racked up 1,026 yards and 11 passing touchdowns.
Mahomes didn’t get his first start until the season finale of the 2017 season. The Raiders are trying to do something similar to that, which the Raiders general manager John Spytek also revealed in August.
“How Fernando practices, how Kirk (Cousins) practices, wins and losses,” Spytek told Charles Robinson. “If Kirk’s in there and we’re 7-3 after 10 games, that’s different than if we’re 3-7. That’s probably ultimately what kept Mahomes on the bench (as a rookie). They were in the playoffs. They were in the race through the whole thing.”
Like Mahomes, who has become the face of the Kansas City Chiefs, Fernando Mendoza is expected to be a future hero at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders. There are massive stakes involved here. An overwhelming rookie season could perhaps hamper Mendoza’s potential down the line and ruin the Raiders’ plans for a franchise turnaround.
Cousins is obviously not going to be here for long. He is 38, and the Raiders are the fourth team he has suited up for. But looking at what he’s produced for Las Vegas already, Fernando Mendoza should be looking forward to some great learnings.
“Kirk Cousins told me, ‘Hey man, the best thing I can do for Fernando Mendoza is play great and show him what an NFL offense is supposed to look like. That’s the best thing I can do for him,'” Mark Schlereth said on The Rich Eisen Show.
Cousins threw for 365 yards with a 59.6% accuracy, his lowest so far this season. He was able to score two touchdowns, too. However, the Kansas City Chiefs defense had the last laugh. Still, the Raiders put up a worthy fight; they were 13-10 going into the fourth quarter.
At halftime, head coach Klint Kubiak had echoed fans’ thoughts on the broadcast: “We’re winning,” he said.
However, at the end of the day, the victory was the Chiefs’, thanks to the damage inflicted on Las Vegas’ defense by running back Kenneth Walker III. Mahomes remains undefeated at Allegiant Stadium.
However, will there be a day when the stadium is known for Fernando Mendoza instead? We will have to wait and watch.