Silver and Black Today
Raiders Survive Texans 22-20 — Is Fernando Mendoza Really in the Week 1 QB Mix?
The Raiders escaped Houston with a 22-20 comeback win, but the real story broke after the final whistle. Fernando Mendoza ran the entire first half of the offense, threw an early pick-six, and struggled — then Aidan O'Connell came off the bench and threw for 166 yards, including the game-winning score. Afterward, head coach Klint Kubiak refused to name Kirk Cousins the Week 1 starter, telling reporters "We got another week. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job." On this episode of Silver & Black Today, Scott Gulbransen breaks down what Kubiak's comments actually mean for the quarterback competition, why Mendoza's rough start might matter less than the box score suggests, what Aidan O'Connell's performance does to that quarterback room, and every notable moment from the win over Houston — including Malik Benson's continued rise, the Jackson Powers-Johnson injury situation, and what to watch as the Raiders return to practice ahead of next week's preseason finale against the 49ers. Silver & Black Today is your source for Las Vegas Raiders news and analysis, part of the BLEAV Podcast Network. Follow the show: @LVGully / @SNBToday Chapters: 00:00 — Intro and show setup 00:49 — Raiders beat Houston 22-20, but the real story is what Kubiak said after 01:03 — Kubiak's "let's keep going" QB comment, and what it actually means 01:37 — Mendoza's rough patch: the pick-six and his honest breakdown of it 03:34 — Kubiak's real plan: why he let Mendoza take his lumps 05:00 — Scott's take: Kubiak isn't undecided, he's strategic — Cousins still the heavy favorite 07:03 — Three things to watch this week: practice reps, silence from the building, and next week's finale vs. SF 09:12 — Aidan O'Connell quietly wins the game and why that matters 10:49 — Defense: don't overreact, that was Houston's starters 12:06 — Depth players stepping up (Booker, Sloan, Lafayette pick) 12:38 — Malik Benson's rookie night — flashes and drops 14:52 — Big picture: offense outgained Houston but the game was sloppy 17:00 — Penalties and discipline — Kubiak's clear message 19:00 — Bottom line heading into the 49ers finale 20:08 — Wrap-up and radio return Sept. 12 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
