Mendoza Throws First NFL TD Pass to Bech
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- Fernando Mendoza connected with Jack Bech on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 0:17 remaining in the second quarter, marking his first NFL touchdown pass on a 10-play, 79-yard drive.
- Jack Bech hauled in Mendoza's milestone toss, knotting the score at 14-14 heading into halftime.
- Kirk Cousins opened the scoring with a 13-yard TD pass to Michael Mayer on a 10-play, 68-yard drive in the first quarter to put the Raiders on the board.
- Jacoby Brissett answered for Arizona with a 7-yard TD strike to Marvin Harrison Jr., tying the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
- Chad Ryland drilled two field goals for Arizona in the third quarter — a 56-yarder and a 40-yarder — to push the Cardinals ahead 24-14.
- Gardner Minshew II added a second-quarter TD pass to Jalen Brooks (6 yards) to give the Raiders a 21-14 lead before halftime.
Why it matters: Mendoza's first NFL touchdown pass is a career milestone that arrives in a tied-game moment at the end of the first half — exactly the kind of drive that can define a young quarterback's confidence. The milestone scoring march covered 79 yards over 6:03 against an Arizona defense that had allowed touchdowns on three of its first four drives.
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