Bucky’s Breakdown: 3 things necessary from Fernando Mendoza to succeed in his debut as a starter
Focus on the next piece
The emotional swings of an NFL game can overwhelm young players as they adjust. Mendoza can avoid the emotional roller coaster in his debut by focusing on making the next play the best play for the Raiders.
While coaches often talk about a “next play” mentality, the rookie will need to heed this advice to avoid becoming overwhelmed in the moment. Mendoza must create and stick to a checklist that keeps him focused on processes rather than results.
By staying focused on the little things necessary to make each play successful, from checking or making the proper adjustment at the line to getting the ball to the first or second option in the route progression based on coverage reads, the rookie will stack up enough game-winning plays to keep the Raiders in position to win the game in the fourth quarter.
Given his history of closing out games in the fourth quarter or overtime, Mendoza’s “next play” approach could lead to some late-game heroics from the franchise quarterback.
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