The Las Vegas Raiders have produced a dramatic comeback to defeat the Houston Texans 22-20 in their second NFL preseason game, overcoming a difficult start from No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza endured a tough opening half, throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown as the Raiders found themselves trailing 20-3 at halftime. The rookie quarterback finished his outing completing 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards.
However, Las Vegas refused to go away.
Backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell helped spark the Raiders’ second-half fightback, eventually leading a 96 yard game winning drive in the closing minutes. The drive was capped by a one-yard rushing touchdown with just 14 seconds remaining, sealing the 22-20 victory. O’Connell finished with 166 passing yards.
The game was another important learning experience for Mendoza, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His preseason has already shown both the promise and challenges that come with making the transition to the NFL.
Despite the rookie’s struggles, the Raiders showed plenty of resilience, finishing with a significant advantage in total offense and completing one of the more dramatic preseason comebacks of the week.
For Las Vegas, the win keeps the focus firmly on the team’s quarterback situation as the regular season approaches. Veteran Kirk Cousins, who is expected to play a major role in the competition, did not take the field against Houston.
The Raiders will now look ahead to their final preseason preparations, while Mendoza will be hoping to bounce back quickly from one of the first major setbacks of his young NFL career.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.