Raiders' Klint Kubiak not ready to name Week 1 QB; 'reps' key for Fernando Mendoza's development

As is the case in any young quarterback's career, there are going to be bumps in the road along the way.

Fresh off an impressive preseason debut, Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza encountered his first set of bumps Thursday night in Houston. The No. 1 overall pick completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards, but found the going to be more challenging against Houston's established defense, appearing frantic at times and throwing his first NFL interception.

The fact Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz returned the pick for a touchdown is irrelevant to the larger conversation. What's most important is that Mendoza made such a mistake (in which he threw the ball behind running back Mike Washington Jr.) and has the opportunity to learn from it.

The key, according to head coach Klint Kubiak, is more time on task.

“Reps," Kubiak said on Friday when asked what might help Mendoza improve going forward. "I know that’s a short answer, but that’s the truth.”

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Mendoza isn't the only Raiders figure going about things for the first time. Kubiak is a rookie head coach, Washington is a rookie running back, and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko is a first-time offensive coordinator.

Everything is new. There are going to be growing pains.

It's all part of a process that is far from complete. That includes determining a starting quarterback entering Week 1 between Mendoza and veteran Kirk Cousins, something Kubiak again declined to do when asked on Friday.

“I just don’t think it ever benefits a player to know they have a spot secured," Kubiak explained.

Kubiak was asked how Mendoza will be able to continue his development once practice reps are reduced if he is not the Week 1 starting QB.

“It’s a great point," Kubiak. "We have experience as coaches on developing guys when they’re not starting a game. It’s staying early, leaving late. It’s using some technological tools at your disposal. But it’s really a lot of (quarterbacks coach Mike) Sullivan spending a lot of early morning and long nights with Fernando and Aidan [O'Connell]. … There’s things you can do. It’s never as good as getting all the reps in practice, but you do the best you can with what you’ve got.”

To Mendoza's credit, Kubiak praised the rookie for "how prepared he has made himself" during his first camp and preseason. Such preparation was evident in Las Vegas' preseason opener when a decisive Mendoza led a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive that ended with a quick-fire pass to Jack Bech for the score.

As of now, it seems Mendoza is still on the long-term track laid by Kubiak, which doesn't include a guarantee the rookie will see the field right away in the regular season. Cousins didn't dress Thursday night in Houston and appears set to roll with the first team to begin the season, providing Kubiak with the veteran leadership he's wanted to run the offense to begin 2026.

This is all fine. And as Mendoza will come to understand, so was the interception he threw Thursday night.

Next time, he'll know better than to force a throw into traffic. Luckily, this one didn't count toward the Raiders' record.