Fernando Mendoza Prepares for First Start Against Seattle Defense

Week 10 brings a new era to the Las Vegas Raiders as rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza prepares for his first career start against the Seattle Seahawks.

General manager John Spytek said trading Kirk Cousins and turning the offense over to Mendoza does not mean the team is abandoning its postseason aspirations, even as the franchise works through the playoff picture.

Taking down the defending Super Bowl champions will test the rookie immediately. Seattle boasts the league’s top-ranked defense, allowing just 244.2 yards per game. That unit sits more than 35 yards per game clear of any other team in the NFL, establishing a daunting baseline for any signal-caller, let alone a first-year player making his debut.

Fernando Mendoza making first NFL start for Las Vegas Raiders is 'overdue' I Pro Football Talk — NFL on NBC

Seattle surrenders 18.0 points per contest, good for a tie at fourth in the league, while ranking fourth in expected points added per play allowed at -0.14, according to Sumer Sports.

The defense gives up a league-low 155.1 passing yards per game and ties for third in EPA per pass allowed at -0.17. Head coach Mike Macdonald directs a system featuring difference-makers across all three levels, including defensive tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Macdonald holds a 6-0 record as Seattle’s head coach in games where a rookie quarterback attempts at least one pass, per Sumer Sports data. Tennessee Titans passer Cam Ward remains the lone first-year quarterback to throw for more than 130 yards and a touchdown against Macdonald’s defense, finishing with 256 yards and one touchdown.

Fernando Mendoza Prepares for First Start Against Seattle Defense

Raiders head coach and offensive play-caller Klint Kubiak spent last season as Seattle’s offensive coordinator, offering a potential advantage in scheming around his former team.

Leonard Williams anchors the interior of Seattle’s defensive line. One coordinator said that Williams “was the most important player on that Super Bowl team.”

Fernando Mendoza takes over as Las Vegas Raiders starting QB — FOX5 Las Vegas

Williams has registered 26 pressures and a 77.9 run defense grade this season according to Pro Football Focus, though he missed last week’s game with a stinger and remains questionable for Sunday. Interior linemate Byron Murphy II adds 28 pressures and 14 run stops, while Jarran Reed contributes nine run stops to round out a formidable front.

For Las Vegas, center Tyler Linderbaum anchors an interior offensive line facing constant disruption. Linderbaum has allowed just two pressures on 108 opportunities over the last few weeks, posting a 73.7 run-blocking grade in that span. Rookie right guard Trey Zuhn III remains in concussion protocol after exiting last week’s game in San Francisco early, threatening to force Jackson Powers-Johnson or Caleb Rogers into the starting lineup.

Seattle seahawks defensive end leonard williams lines up against the houston texans during an nfl football game monday oct in

On the perimeter, tight end Brock Bowers will draw heavy attention from Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon signed a four-year, $132 million contract extension in the offseason. Witherspoon has recorded 19 defensive stops in coverage, ranking ninth among cornerbacks in yards per catch allowed at 7.5.

Defensively, the Raiders face a severe mismatch against wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,000 yards, nine receiving touchdowns, and 3.49 yards per route run, averaging 115.1 receiving yards per game. Las Vegas enters the matchup allowing the third-highest EPA per pass at 0.16, placing heavy pressure on top corner Eric Stokes, slot defender Taron Johnson, and rotation pieces Darien Porter and Hezekiah Masses to contain the perimeter.