Fernando Mendoza shows promise in Raiders' preseason loss to Cardinals

The Las Vegas Raiders lost 27-14 to the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason opener on August 13, 2026. No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza made his debut, completing 10 of 16 passes for 96 yards as he played primarily with the second-team offense. The game featured a touchdown connection between Mendoza and Jack Bech, who was instrumental in keeping the game competitive. Coach Klint Kubiak expressed optimism about Mendoza's performance and indicated he would continue getting repetitions in the preseason, though Kirk Cousins remains the starting quarterback. The Raiders need to address their penalties, having committed eight for 75 yards during the game.

• 2:57 AMYahoo Sports — Fernando Mendoza makes some plays in Raiders’ preseason debut