What did we see from Raiders during preseason? 'GMFB'
"GMFB" pick what they saw from the Las Vegas Raiders during preseason.
Video Transcript
Whether you like it or not, there are, you know, monsters at the other side of the ball, and you need to get the ball out quick, and it teaches you that you need to play on time, and there's less margin for error.
So I think it's a great experience having that heat and duress because diamonds are built under pressure.
They're built under fire and, you know, being forged like that.
So when you're able to play under that duress, that's when you're able to elevate your game, and I think it's a good experience.
Do you feel like you've done enough to win the starting job?
Yeah, I think it's just up to coach.
You just do the best you can with the opportunities you're given, lead as well as you can, compete.
And, and you're never a finished product.
And so, you know, naming something one day, it can change the next day.
So you just go about your business each day methodically, and, and, and let the chips fall where they may.
Why do I feel like, Fernando Mendoza could write a children's book for rookie quarterbacks- Yeah.
Coming into the league?
He's like, "And then there's monsters, and the monsters are named Max Crosby- Yeah.
Trey Hendrickson- Yeah Miles Garrett, and, don't be scared of them."
Will Anderson Jr. "Just get the ball out quickly.
That's the solution."
Turn the page, and a happy ending for the rookie quarterback.
Maybe not, though.
Maybe it's Kirk Cousins to start the season- because what we've seen from the preseason, Mansa, kinda came to fruition last night- Yep against the 49ers for the Raiders.
Yeah.
You know, Fernando Mendoza has had a good preseason so far, but as you can tell last night, Kirk Cousins will be their starting quarterback, and that's okay.
That's exactly what they want it to do if you're Clint Kubiak and the Raiders.
But the biggest standout to me was Mike Washington Jr. Out of University of Arkansas.
This young man, when you watch him run, he's very He has great contact balance.
He has great vision.
He protects the football.
He leads all running backs, all, all running backs in rush yards, yards per carry, and scrimmage yards.
He's I would say this, if it wasn't for Ashton Jeanty, I think it would You've gotta really consider this guy for os- offensive rookie of the year by what he's been doing.
I also think you have to credit Clint Kubiak because of that offensive line and how improved they've been.
Because if you think about last year, that offensive line and how leaky it was, and how many times Ashton Jeanty was, was tackled behind the line of scrimmage, not in this preseason.
And you're watching Mike Washington Jr. Go for yards on yards and yards, and break tackles.
And he reminds me of a, a former Arkansas running back by the name of Darren McFadden, who was also- Mm-hmm drafted by the Raiders, just the way he runs.
That slight forward lean.
He's always going forward.
So, Mike Washington Jr. Has had a phenomenal training camp, a phenomenal preseason.
And I, I don't know what Ashton Jeanty's status is because of his injury that he got.
I know that he'll be back in some time, but you have to be happy if you're Clint Kubiak that Mike Washington Jr. Has been huge for you this preseason so far, Kyle.
I don't know, Mansa.
You know that, you know that, the jealous girlfriend meme- Mm-hmm where, like, right here, here's you looking at Mike Washington- and here's DeJoun Stripling being like, "What?"
You know?
Like- How dare you, Mansa.
That's De- DeJoun Stripling is so mad.
If you're just tuning in- We had something special Mansa loves a lot of young players.
Yes.
But I Listen, Mike Washington Jr., look at the numbers, Mansa.
Come on.
Yeah.
23 for 168, that's the kinda guy where, like, I know there's a lot of fantasy drafts going on right now.
Not only Th- there's the kinda thing is, like, where you would draft him late, and then the person who drafted Ashton Jeanty and haven't, hasn't handcuffed him would be so mad at you that you took Washington.
He does.
But you're like, "Whatever, I've been watching him in the preseason."
I turn on Good Morning Football, Mansa's drooling all over the desk about him.
I like, I like him, too.
The, the Raiders, the thing is, is the, is the story that wasn't, and that Mendoza's gonna come running, and he's gonna g- steal the starting job.
No, he's not.
It's done.
It was done last week when he threw the pick six.
I think it was done before that.
I, I, I think it's never I can't say it's been done 'cause I don't think it's ever started.
Let's, let's give this the appropriate context, though, 'cause we've done this before.
Mendoza will not start the opener, even though his head coach won't announce it.
Kirk Cousins will start the opener.
This will be the first time that a number one overall pick has not started week one since Baker Mayfield.
So it's been a long time.
We've seen a lot of week one starters.
Last year, Cam Ward started week one.
You could just go down the line.
Mendoza will not start week one, and it's just, it just leaves us to the question, when will he start?
Will he start at all?
I mean, the Raiders, they open at home with Miami, at the Chargers, at the Saints.
It's like, it's not these big ESPN things.
It's not prime time.
It's not high pressure.
It's one home game.
I The Miami Dolphins, their opener, when the power rankings come out, guys, to start the season, I think will probably be 32.
They may be 31.
And the Raiders could be 30 for all I know, but there is just no pressure to put Mendoza in.
I honestly think, and I, I, this is the second time I'm doing this in two topics.
I don't like to put this energy out here.
But it's like a Kirk Cousins ankle sprain is gonna put Mendoza in.
I, I don't even think a Kirk Cousins two interception game, I just don't think it's a thing.
And the fact that Kubiak will not announce it is just telling me he is so set, and there's, the, the plan is in place, and he doesn't want it to be picked apart at all.
It's gonna be Kirk Cousins.
And if you're disappointed by that, I don't know why.
He's definitely the better quarterback, and it gives the Raiders a better chance to win.
So that's it.
It's done.
I don't wanna hear it anymore.
Last night, I mean, I think really finished it, but it's over.
And we'll get excited for Kirk Cousins, and Kirk Cousins played a lot of good football.
We'll see the Raiders can win.
That's it.
Mm-hmm.
And we also have to focus on the fact that Clint Kubiak is new at the job, too.
Yeah.
Like, sometimes a new head coach, rookie quarterback pairing i- is just, like, too much for one team.
Let's just ease into Yeah.
Let's walk into the water.
Yeah.
Zero water entry at this point.
I got a lot of stuff I gotta handle.
Zero Exactly, right.
I got enough on my plate.
Let's go with Cousins.
