Fernando Mendoza throws a pick-6, struggles in 1st half of Raiders’ 22-20 preseason win over Texans

Fernando Mendoza, the top draft pick, is discovering the challenges of his NFL career debut. In his second preseason game, the Las Vegas Raiders secured a 22-20 win over the Houston Texans after Mendoza threw a crucial interception. Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, went 8 of 15 for 86 yards in the first half. Mendoza's third pass was intercepted by Wade Woodaz, who returned it for a touchdown.

Mendoza chased Woodaz down but was overpowered near the 15-yard line. Houston coach DeMeco Ryans acknowledged that Mendoza has a lot of learning to do, emphasizing the small margins in this league. Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak also stated that there are plenty of improvements to be made for Mendoza. Despite Mendoza's struggles, the Raiders rested most of their starters, with kicker Aidan O'Connell stepping in for Mendoza in the second half. He scored a 1-yard touchdown late to secure the 22-20 victory.