Ahead of their Week 10 game, the Seattle Seahawks are preparing to face Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza after Las Vegas traded Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings.
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The Seattle Seahawks were not active in the final hours before the 4 p.m. ET Nov. 10 trade deadline, but their Week 10 opponent changed after the Las Vegas Raiders traded quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings.
With the move, Seattle will face Fernando Mendoza, described as the No. 1 pick from this year’s draft, as he prepares for his first career NFL start against the reigning Super Bowl champions in Week 10.
Seattle Sports analyst Michael Bumpus said one advantage for the Seahawks is that Mendoza is a rookie and that Seattle is “playing against a rookie” and “one of the best defenses in the league.” He added that there are “things he just doesn’t know because he’s never been that guy.”
Bumpus also outlined a drawback for Seattle’s preparation, noting there is “no film on Fernando Mendoza playing for the Raiders.” He said teams can review attributes from his time at Indiana and limited game action, such as a brief appearance against the New England Patriots and preseason work, but “you don’t know what he’s capable of.”
In a second analyst take, NFL commentator Mark Schlereth pointed to the Seahawks’ running game as a key factor heading into the Raiders game. He referenced that in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle’s ground attack produced 120 rushing yards.
Schlereth said Zach Charbonnet had 77 of those 120 yards on 16 carries, and he credited Charbonnet as the catalyst for a drive that ended with Seattle’s first touchdown as they went up 7-3.
According to Schlereth, Charbonnet “looked really good” coming off that performance and “looked completely different,” describing the running back’s impact as something that could “take[] some pressure off the offense” as Seattle tries to keep its momentum going into Week 10.
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