Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Number one draft pick Fernando Mendoza is set to make his daunting NFL debut start against defending champions Seattle on Sunday, after the Las Vegas Raiders traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to Minnesota. Mendoza last season led Indiana to the United States college football crown and bagged the Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player, but has been kept away from the spotlight by coach Klint Kubiak for the Raiders’ first nine games. Cousins led Las Vegas to a respectable 4-5 start, but his departure on trade deadline day paves the way for a moment Raiders fans have craved since their team snapped up Mendoza at the top of April’s draft.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Mendoza, 23, who paid tribute to Cousins’ tutelage. “I’m a lot more confident as a quarterback, and I feel more developed. Whether it’s under center, connecting with teammates, understanding an NFL scheme, there’s so many areas that I’ve improved on.” Mendoza will need to use every ounce of knowledge he acquired as Cousins’ understudy against a superb Seahawks defense that was key to last year’s Super Bowl win and has conceded the league’s fewest passing yards per game this season.
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“This is the best defense in the NFL…he’s got to go do his job and not worry about a whole lot else,” said Kubiak. “He knew, we knew at some point he was going to get an opportunity, and so he’s been preparing like that since week one,” added the coach. Seattle, who have had a mixed start to the season and are 5-4, will again be without their Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold, who misses his second straight game with a quadriceps injury and cracked rib. Meanwhile, Cousins is expected to step straight into action for the Vikings in a key NFC North clash. The Vikings have lost two straight after their NFL-best 6-0 start to the campaign.
Minnesota’s superb defense has been let down by a faltering offense. This season’s starting QB Kyler Murray is out with a hamstring strain, and his backup Carson Wentz had a miserable outing against Buffalo on Monday, tossing two interceptions, coughing up a fumble and recording just eight completions. Cousins is back at a club where he spent six successful seasons between 2018 and 2023, reuniting with head coach Kevin O’Connell, and said he was also looking forward to linking up again with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
“Grateful to be back. Certainly a unique feeling coming back into the building today,” said Cousins, describing the past few days as a “whirlwind.” “Kevin knows me. Kevin knows what I do well, Kevin knows what I don’t do well…I think that helps,” added the 38-year-old quarterback.
The Packers sit bottom of the ultra-competitive NFC North despite a 6-3 record, and enter Sunday’s game off the back of a 45-27 demolition of the New England Patriots. The Patriots head to Munich, Germany, where they will face the Detroit Lions in the NFL’s latest international game.
Other standout clashes include the high-flying San Francisco 49ers’ visit to Dallas, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ obdurate defense up against the Cincinnati Bengals’ red-hot quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow has recorded four or more total touchdowns in four straight games. The Los Angeles Chargers, who remain this season’s only winless team, will bid to grab that elusive first victory Monday against the struggling Baltimore Ravens.
© 2024 AFP
