HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Much has been made of Kirk Cousins ‘ impact on Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s development.
But there’s another veteran QB in Las Vegas who could have a role in helping Mendoza begin to live up to the expectations that come with being the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick.
Aidan O’Connell enters his fourth season and provides guidance through words and actions. He led two lengthy fourth-quarter touchdown drives to rally the Raiders to a 22-20 preseason victory at Houston on Thursday night.
“I think we’ve said all offseason how much we value Aidan, and what a heck of a second half,” coach Klint Kubiak said Friday. “He goes out and leads us to (a) 19-point half and two 90-plus yard drives in the fourth quarter. He did it with his teammates, but he was a big part of it and was very happy for him.”
Kubiak said he and the staff were considering keeping all three quarterbacks this season.
“Those guys are going to make us make hard decisions, which is a great thing, that competition,” Kubiak said. “We’re talking through it.”
Much of the discussion likely also centers around when Mendoza will get the chance to start this season.
He played the entire first half against the Texans and produced mixed results. Mendoza threw behind running back Mike Washington Jr. only to see an interception go the other way for an 80-yard touchdown. But he also completed six passes in a row during one stretch.
By the time he was done, Mendoza had completed eight of 15 passes for 86 yards, his five drives totaling just three points. He was victimized by two dropped passes from rookie wide receiver Malik Benson, one that would have been a big gainer on third down.
Kubiak praised Mendoza’s work in the meeting room Wednesday night and said much of it translated to the game.
“I was pleased with watching the tape,” Kubiak said. “I really like what he did on third down. We were only 1 of 5 on third down in the first half. However, we did drop the ball twice, and we threw one short of the sticks on third-and-long. He had really good ball placement on the first third down of the game with a guy in his face. So, in the critical downs, I thought he was playing his best.
“There are things that we must get corrected that will be addressed ASAP.”
As Kubiak indicated, there were issues at wide receiver. Benson had appeared to calm some nerves about the position with his excellent play in training camp, but Kubiak clearly had a hard time overlooking those two drops.
One of the main questions this preseason is what the Raiders will do without a true No. 1 receiver. Tight end Brock Bowers, who has had a tremendous camp, will likely get most of the targets.
“I learned a lot in that we have to get a lot better very fast, that we took a step backward,” Kubiak said of the receivers. “Doesn’t mean we can’t go forward. But right now, we are trying to find someone that is accountable and can help us on Sunday. Still looking.”
The Raiders wrap up their preseason schedule by hosting former Bay Area rival San Francisco on Thursday night.
Cousins, who has been quarterbacking the starting offense in practice, is expected to be the starter when the season — his 15th in the NFL — begins Sept. 13 against Miami.
The challenge, if Cousins does start, will be finding enough snaps for Mendoza so that he can improve and put himself in position to eventually take over. Kubiak said the coaching staff would need to get creative, even if it means putting in extra hours to make it work.
“There are things you can do,” Kubiak said. “It’s never as good as getting all the reps in practice, but you do the best you can with what you got.”
Penalties still a problem
A week after committing eight penalties for 75 yards against Arizona, the Raiders had nine for 83 against the Texans.
Six of the infractions at Houston were on special teams, costing the Raiders 51 yards.
“It’s on us as coaches to get it fixed,” Kubiak said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen that many special teams penalties in a game. You look at the guys that are committing these penalties, these are some younger guys and it’s not acceptable.
“We have to get it fixed defensively. We get a stop on third down, we taunt a guy and let them stay on the field. Unacceptable. One was a face mask defensively. It’s two weeks in a row that, as a coaching staff, we’ve got substitution penalties. Unacceptable.”
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