Fernando Mendozas first NFL start painful but necessary part of process

HOUSTON — Fernando Mendoza’s welcome-to-the-NFL moment was bound to happen.Almost right on cue, it arrived Thursday night in his first NFL start.And it was painful.An 80-yard pick six by Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz in the first quarter of the Raiders’ preseason game against Houston.Ouch.What made it sting even more was what immediately preceded it.Mendoza had just delivered one of his best throws of the game, a 22-yard completion to Jalen Nailor, and fellow rookie Mike Washington Jr.followed with a 33-yard run to the Texans’ 24-yard line.The Raiders were rolling.

Mendoza was settling in.And for a moment, everything looked easy.Then came the reminder that, for a rookie quarterback in the NFL, it rarely is.One play after Washington’s big run, Mendoza went right back to him, this time through the air.Bad decision.

Worse throw.Mendoza fired the ball behind Washington and directly into the arms of Woodaz, who stepped in front of the pass and suddenly had nothing but green grass between himself and the end zone.Mendoza immediately gave chase, staying with Woodaz as long as he could before launching himself in a desperate diving attempt to prevent the touchdown.No chance.Woodaz never broke stride, leaving Mendoza sprawled on the turf as he finished off the 80-yard return and put the Raiders in a 14-0 hole.Welcome to the NFL.And, really, welcome to the inevitable.These are the moments that come with developing a young quarterback, even one as talented and advanced as Mendoza has looked since arriving in Las Vegas as the first overall pick in the draft.There will be impressive throws and encouraging drives.There will be flashes that make everyone wonder how quickly he can become the Raiders’ starting quarterback.And then there will be nights like Thursday, when one bad decision and one poorly placed throw become six points going the other way.Better to experience it in August than October.And that, in many ways, explains why Kirk Cousins is here.The Raiders ...