Fernando Mendoza throws rare pick-6 in second preseason game with Raiders
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Fernando Mendoza had a nice outing in his first NFL action on Aug. 13, going 10-of-16 for 97 yards and throwing a touchdown in the Las Vegas Raiders’ 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason opener.
Thursday’s game against the Houston Texans hasn’t exactly gone to plan for the No. 1 overall pick out of Indiana, though.
With the ball at the Texans’ 30 on the Raiders’ opening drive, Mendoza faked the handoff, stepped back, and threw over the middle, but right into the hands of fellow rookie Wade Woodaz. The fourth-round pick out of Clemson took it down the right side of the field and, despite Mendoza in pursuit, raced all the way to the end zone for a pick-6.
Here’s video:
Seeing a Mendoza interception returned for a touchdown is a rare sight. In fact, it only happened once during his college career. That was on Oct. 11 during Indiana’s 30-20 win at Oregon.
Outside of that, the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion did well for himself in his lone season in Bloomington. Despite Thursday night’s setback, it’s important to note that Mendoza’s still a rookie. Moments like this are just part of the growing experience for a first-year player. (Plus, it’s only preseason, so it doesn’t count.)
In his first three drives, Mendoza was 3-for-6 for 36 yards. He was sacked once.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
