Kubiak's plan: More 1st-team reps for all 3 QBs

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak was impressed by rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza's strong preseason debut against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. Mendoza went 10-for-16 with 97 yards passing and a touchdown in the Raiders' 27-14 loss to Arizona over the course of four offensive series totaling 18 plays. "He went out and executed the way that he does in practice," Kubiak said Friday. "Some guys get to the game and things change on them, and they move fast and freak out. He was the opposite." Mendoza had practiced primarily with the second-team offense throughout training camp, with his only reps with the starters coming after Kubiak held quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Maxx Crosby out of practice due to a scuffle between the two veterans. Cousins started the game for Las Vegas, going 5-6 for 50 yards and a touchdown in his lone series of the game. Third-string quarterback Aidan O'Connell closed the game out in the fourth quarter. Kubiak, who had previously declared Cousins as the starter, says all three quarterbacks deserve more reps with the first unit. "That's something that we're talking about as a coaching staff right now," Kubiak said. "Whether it's Aidan O'Connell, Kirk [Cousins], or Fernando, all three of those guys deserve first-team reps. We've got to put a plan together on how we're going to split them up." Mendoza's performance in particular may have strengthened his case for more practice and playing time with the starters, though Kubiak reiterated postgame that the starting job remains Cousins to lose after finding the endzone on the game's opening drive with a 13-yard scoring strike to tight end Michael Mayer. Mendoza, ever the perfectionist, was more critical about his own performance, choosing to focus on his misthrows and misreads while highlighting that his timing and anticipation still need improvement. "The best quarterbacks I've been around are the ones that are hard on themselves. ...I think he played good football last night," Kubiak said.