{"id":45616,"date":"2026-08-15T01:43:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T20:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=45616"},"modified":"2026-08-15T01:43:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T20:43:06","slug":"nfl-is-a-different-level","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=45616","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;NFL is a different level&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F08%2Fmendozaraiders.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall%261786720535\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Welcome to the league, rookie. <\/p>\n<p>Las Vegas Raiders <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/13\/sports\/fernando-mendoza-looks-good-raiders-preseason-opener\/\">quarterback Fernando Mendoza<\/a> got his first taste of the NFL in Thursday\u2019s preseason opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals, admitting the competition was vastly superior than what he\u2019s used to.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza showed flashes of brilliance in his NFL preseason debut. <span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/John Locher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cNo matter how good of a high school or college player you were, the NFL is a different level. And I felt that tonight and I have a lot to grow from,\u201d Mendoza said. <\/p>\n<p>The 22-year-old is coming off arguably one of the greatest college football seasons ever, leading Indiana to their first national title in school history. But even a player of that magnitude in college has much to learn at the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/13\/sports\/fernando-mendoza-adamant-staying-away-las-vegas-strip\/\">start of his NFL career<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday night, Mendoza completed 10-of-16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in four drives. He became the first No. 1 pick to throw a touchdown pass in his preseason debut since Baker Mayfield in 2018. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Fernando Mendoza discussed his NFL preseason debut with the Las Vegas Raiders.  <span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/David Becker<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mendoza had <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/13\/sports\/fernando-mendoza-looks-good-raiders-preseason-opener\/\">flashes of brilliance in his preseason debut<\/a>, but also looked like a young quarterback still acclimating to the speed of the NFL. On his first drive, the rookie threw two incompletions, which forced the Raiders to punt. <\/p>\n<p>But Mendoza quickly regrouped on the second drive, where his 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jake Bech tied the score at 14. Though Las Vegas was defeated 27-14 by the Cardinals, Mendoza\u2019s performance was overall encouraging. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>The Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.  <span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/David Becker<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kirk Cousins opened the preseason game with 5-of-6 completions for 50 yards and a 13-yards touchdown pass to tight end Michael Mayer. The Heisman Trophy winner was tasked with following the veteran\u2019s strong performance near the end of the first quarter. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/28\/sports\/raiders-name-kirk-cousins-starter-over-fernando-mendoza\/\">Cousins claimed the starting quarterback job<\/a> ahead of training camp, but as Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak put it, it\u2019s his job to lose. But the organization drafted Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for a reason. <\/p>\n<p>Mendoza is the future face of the franchise, but it\u2019s up to him when he claims that title. <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>California Post News<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCaliforniaPost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@CaliforniaPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@thecaliforniapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029Vb6a2IV1NCrL6q2AWq0E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post Sports<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/capostsports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/capostsports\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CaliforniaPostSports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post  <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opinion<\/a> <br \/><strong>California Post Newsletters<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/email.nypost.com\/#california-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post App<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download here!<\/a><br \/><strong>Home delivery<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.californiapost.com\/defaultCAP\">Sign up here!<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/><\/a><strong>Page Six Hollywood<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/hollywood-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to the league, rookie. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza got his first taste of the NFL in Thursday\u2019s preseason opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals, admitting the competition was vastly superior than what he\u2019s used to. Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza showed flashes of brilliance in his NFL preseason debut. AP Photo\/John Locher&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45617,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/mendozaraiders.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1786720535&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45616\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}