The Fernando Mendoza era begins on Sunday, as his Las Vegas Raiders host the Seattle Seahawks. With the Raiders shipping Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings at Tuesday's trade deadline, John Spytek and Klint Kubiak now turn their attention to the rookie.
It's not exactly the easiest first start for Mendoza. He will become the first No. 1 overall pick quarterback in NFL history to make his first career start against the defending Super Bowl champions. Mendoza is also the first No. 1 overall pick quarterback to make his first career start against the NFL's No. 1 defense since Vinny Testaverde in 1987. However, he was the top pick in the draft for a reason. In his final season at Indiana, Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship.
As for the Seahawks, Sam Darnold will miss his second consecutive game with a quad injury. Drew Lock is set to make his third start of the season, although he was limited all week in practice with elbow and oblique injuries. The 5-4 Seahawks did get back on track with a win over the Arizona Cardinals last week, but have lost their last two road games.
Can Mendoza spark the Raiders to an upset victory in his first NFL start? Follow along in the live blog below, as we break down this matchup as it happens.
Where to watch Raiders vs. Seahawks
Date: Sunday, Nov. 15 | Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium (Paradise, Nevada)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Seahawks -6.5, O/U 40.5 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
