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Patriots’ Injuries Pile up Before Raiders Game
On Sunday, October 11, 2026, top draft pick Fernando Mendoza made his NFL debut for the Las Vegas Raiders, entering during the fourth quarter of a 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak inserted Mendoza with just over six minutes remaining after veteran Kirk Cousins struggled against New England's defense throughout the afternoon.
Mendoza completed 6-of-8 passes for 48 yards on his sole drive, which lasted nearly four minutes and ended one yard short of a first down on fourth-and-4.
Kubiak confirmed Cousins remains the starter when the Raiders host Buffalo next week, though Mendoza said he is "all in on the coaches decision."
First-Year Raiders coach Klint Kubiak prefers a gradual development path for young quarterbacks, with experts noting Cousins is likely to retain the starting job for the remainder of 2026.
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts, USA (AP) — Drake Maye regained his confidence and production in the Patriots' strong victory on Sunday by 45-17 over the Las Vegas Raiders.