Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza didn’t look like a rookie making his first NFL appearance in Sunday’s 45-17 loss at New England, but it also wasn’t a genuine game situation.
asserted
it → look → England
The Patriots, with victory well in hand in the game’s final minutes, mostly backed off the pass rush that hounded Las Vegas starter Kirk Cousins throughout the day.
asserted
that → back → day
Regardless, Mendoza completed 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards.
asserted
Mendoza → complete → yards
The top pick in this year’s draft looked quite comfortable.
asserted
pick → look → draft
“He was prepared,” coach Klint Kubiak said Monday.
asserted
Kubiak → prepare → ?
“He played fast.
asserted
He → play → ?
He got through his progressions quickly.
asserted
He → get → progressions
He knew his hot issues.
asserted
He → know → issues
Kubiak made it clear that Cousins still tops the depth chart, and the 15-year veteran has done little that would justify a change.
asserted
that → make → change
The Raiders got off to a 3-0 start and nearly beat Kansas City.
asserted
Raiders → get → City
His 11 touchdown passes through the first four weeks were matched only by San Francisco’s Brock Purdy.
asserted
passes → match → Purdy
Cousins’ play had quieted just about any talk of when Mendoza would take over, but after the blowout loss to the Patriots, that speculation could begin anew, regardless of whether that’s fair to Cousins.
uncertain
that → quiet → Cousins
Mendoza took advantage of New England backing off its defensive aggression by calmly moving Las Vegas from its 35-yard line to the Patriots 14, picking up three first downs.
asserted
England → take → downs
Then the Patriots pressured Mendoza, forcing an incomplete pass and a scramble to cause a turnover on downs.
asserted
Patriots → pressure → downs
That doesn’t mean Mendoza isn’t ready to handle a pressure situation.
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Mendoza → mean → situation
“That’s why he’s here,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → ’ → ?
“We have a lot of confidence in him.
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We → have → him
Kirk’s the starter, and if Fernando’s called upon, he’ll be ready to go just like he was (Sunday).”
asserted
he → ’ → ?
What’s working
asserted
working → work → ?
Take away his out-of-character fumble and it was another typical Brock Bowers day.
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it → take → fumble
He caught eight passes on 10 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown.
asserted
He → catch → yards
Buffalo’s Dalton Kincaid, a Las Vegas native, went into Monday night’s game at the Los Angeles Rams ranked second at 67.5.
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Kincaid → go → 67.5
What needs help
After the blowout loss, it seems like everything.
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it → need → everything
New England did an especially good job of attacking the Raiders’ young secondary, which had played better than expected until Sunday.
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which → do → Sunday
Drake Maye had his way for the Patriots, completing 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns.
asserted
Maye → have → yards
One defensive back who stepped up was second-year cornerback Darien Porter.
asserted
who → step → ?
He replaced rookie Hezekiah Masses during the game and broke up two passes, recovered a fumble and made seven tackles.
asserted
He → replace → tackles
“He’s a guy that was starting, lost his job for a week, and is so mentally tough that he came back in and played really good football yesterday and played very competitive,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → ’ → football
“That’s not a surprise.
asserted
That → ’ → ?
That’s the kind of guy that he is, and he’s just going to continue to get better.
asserted
he → ’ → guy
Him and Zeke (Masses) will compete for that job.”
Stock down
Ashton Jeanty continues to struggle to run behind an offensive line that gives him little room to work.
asserted
that → compete → room
But at least Jeanty is getting chances.
asserted
Jeanty → get → chances
Rookie Mike Washington Jr. was expected to be a much larger part of the offense after a strong preseason and encouraging play early in the season.
asserted
Jr. → expect → season
But he carried just once for 5 yards at New England.
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he → carry → England
“I think he just needs more opportunities, and that starts with me, too,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → think → me
Kubiak said he expected WR Jalen Nailor, who was in the protocol last week and did not play, back at practice.
asserted
who → say → practice
WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. (hamstring) has two weeks before the club must decide whether to activate him off injured reserve, put him on season-ending IR or release or trade him.
asserted
club → have → him
“We expect him to keep taking another jump,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → expect → jump
“So he’s got to go compete in practice and show us that he’s ready to go.
asserted
he → get → us
It’s their worst average through the first five games in franchise history.
asserted
It → ’ → history
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
