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On Thursday night, Fernando Mendoza learned about NFL adversity the hard way. The rookie quarterback with the Las Vegas Raiders threw his first interception of his NFL career early on in the second preseason game, resulting in him throwing a pick-six to the Houston Texans. This would have been difficult to bounce back from for any quarterback, but especially a rookie. This was what made Mendoza stand out. Instead of folding after allowing such a bad play, the no. 1 draft pick kept pushing forward. Even if his performance on the field wasn’t always great, his ability to move past that mistake quickly was still positive for the Raiders. Fernando Mendoza Shows The Raiders His Short Memory Mendoza’s night started about as badly as it could. After an overthrow pass on his first attempt, his third throw was picked off by Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz, who took it 80 yards for a touchdown. Mendoza chased the play all the way downfield; however, he could not prevent the Texans from taking a 14-0 lead. “You like that he has that short memory … he looked like the Fernando Mendoza we saw at Indiana.” "You like that he has that short memory … he looked like the Fernando Mendoza we saw at Indiana."@FBallGameplan was impressed with Fernando Mendoza's aggressive approach despite the pick-6 against the Texans. pic.twitter.com/P9G9OlUVkC — NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 21, 2026 Mendoza responded by completing six consecutive passes after the interception. He also dealt with pressure behind the Raiders’ second-team offensive line and took an 11-yard sack, while a couple of drops hurt his numbers. By halftime, Mendoza had completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards. He led just one scoring drive, a field goal, before giving way to Aidan O’Connell. Still, the rookie’s ability to keep throwing aggressively mattered more than the ugly opening sequence. That is also where Mendoza’s own assessment of the night becomes important. Speaking after the Raiders’ 22-20 comeback win, he acknowledged that the NFL leaves almost no room for sloppy execution. The lesson is already becoming clear for the former Indiana star. His college résumé gave him confidence; however, NFL defenders close windows much faster. Troy Aikman pointed to that difference after the game, noting that professional defenders are quicker and tighter in coverage. Mendoza also received immediate support from Maxx Crosby, who reminded him that rookie QBs are going to experience setbacks. The veteran’s message was simple: keep playing and keep being yourself. That matters because the Raiders are still expected to open the season with Kirk Cousins at signal caller, however, coach Klint Kubiak refused to completely shut down the competition after Thursday’s game, saying nobody should feel too comfortable in their job. For Mendoza, that makes his response to the pick-six even more important. The mistake was ugly, but the bounce-back was the part Las Vegas needed to see. Related reading: Ahman Green Turns to Bo Jackson’s Example After Going Public With Early-Onset Parkinson’s Najee Harris Signing Comes With Clear Expectation as Giants Prepare for Crowded Backfield New England Patriots’ 2026 Outlook Is Not Looking Good — Here’s Why Fans Target Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa With Ruthless Jokes After Joint Practice Video