Raiders coach throws receiver under bus, lets Fernando Mendoza off hook: an excellent throw

It’s no secret there were a few throws Fernando Mendoza would’ve liked to have back during the Raiders’ preseason finale against the 49ers.Coach Klint Kubiak knows it but also suggested his struggles weren’t entirely his fault.Mendoza went 7-of-14 passing for 57 yards, taking two sacks and being intercepted.The interception happened near the end of the first quarter, when the rookie quarterback fired a pass over the middle of the field toward wide receiver Jalen Nailor.Mendoza threw the ball high, forcing Nailor to leap, but the ball bounced off the receiver’s fingertips and resulted in an interception.“I thought it was an excellent throw; he ripped it just like we asked him to, on time,” Kubiak told reporters.“Yeah, it was a little bit high; Jalen’s gotta make a play.”The Raiders have their issues at wide receiver, as they’re thin at the position, but Kubiak’s comments toward Nailor likely point to the first-year head coach doing what he can to keep his rookie quarterback confident.Mendoza’s preseason started strong in their opener against the Cardinals, but over the Raiders’ last two games, he showed why he’s a rookie.

During the preseason, Mendoza was 25-of-45 passing for 240 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.He was sacked four times....