Raiders coach Kubiak delays naming Week 1 quarterback

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said he will not confirm the starting quarterback for the opening game of the regular season, despite recent joint practices with the Houston Texans and a preseason appearance by rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Kubiak explained that his approach is to avoid giving any player a sense of security that could reduce competition within the squad.

"I just don’t think it ever benefits a player to know that they have a spot secured," Kubiak told reporters. "If there’s always a little bit of uneasiness about that, that benefits the whole team — the player and the team."

Mendoza, the No. 1 overall draft pick, completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards in the first half of the preseason game, with no touchdowns and an interception returned for a touchdown. Kubiak said he was pleased with the rookie’s performance on third-down situations, noting good ball placement despite overall struggles on critical downs.

"I really liked what he did on third down," Kubiak added. "He had really good ball placement on the first third down of the game, with a guy in his face."

The coach acknowledged that Mendoza will need more repetitions to develop, but those opportunities will be limited if he does not become the starter. Kubiak said the coaching staff will use technology and extra practice time to provide additional reps, though he admitted they cannot replace live-game experience.

The Raiders will conclude the preseason next Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.