HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Top pick Fernando Mendoza is finding out quickly that he has a lot of work to do as he begins his NFL career.
Mendoza struggled in his second preseason game, throwing an interception that Houston returned for a touchdown before the Las Vegas Raiders rallied late for a 22-20 victory over the Texans on Thursday night.
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to a national title, played the first half and went 8 of 15 for 86 yards. The performance came after in his preseason debut last week against Arizona playing behind Kirk Cousins.
鈥淚 came away with there鈥檚 a lot more learning to do, and although that maybe you may have had a lot of success at another level, this level is a whole step further and that the margins are so small, and that one tiny mistake can lead to catastrophe,鈥� Mendoza said.
On Thursday, Mendoza鈥檚 third pass was overthrown and intercepted by Wade Woodaz, who returned it 80 yards for a touchdown that made it 14-0. Mendoza chased him down, but Woodaz shoved him aside near the 15 .
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we are built for is attacking the football, so when we do that it puts us in a really good position,鈥� Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said.
Mendoza was sacked once and took several other hits playing against Houston鈥檚 second-string defense. He played five series and led his team to just one field goal.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 plenty to clean up, plenty to get better at,鈥� Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak said. 鈥淧lenty that we can do better for him as coaches. Plenty that he can learn from.鈥�
Though Cousins is expected to start in Week 1, Kubiak wouldn’t say that after the game.
鈥淲e got another week of playing. I don鈥檛 want anyone to be comfortable in their job,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t should always be that way from all positions, so let鈥檚 keep going forward.鈥�
C.J. Stroud led the Texans (0-2) to a touchdown on his only series in his first action of the preseason. Stroud and the offensive line were among the few Texans starters who played.
Stroud was 4 of 6 for 27 yards, and a 20-yard scoring run by Woody Marks on the drive he led made it 7-0.
鈥淐.J. made some really good decisions,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淒idn鈥檛 throw it around a ton but when he did throw it, it was good decisions with the football.鈥�
The Raiders (1-1) also rested most of their starters, including Cousins, defensive end Maxx Crosby, running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers.
A 4-yard run by Dylan Laube with about five minutes left in the third got the Raiders within 20-10.
Former Texan Dare Ogunbowale scored on a 19-yard run with less than eight minutes to go. Kansei Matsuzawa’s extra point failed to make it 20-16.
Aidan O’Connell relieved Mendoza in the second half. He scored a 1-yard touchdown on a tush push with 14 seconds to go to put the Raiders ahead 22-20. Matsuzawa missed that extra point, too.
Kickers convert 3 from 50-plus
Houston鈥檚 Ka鈥檌mi Fairbairn made field goals of 51 and 57 yards in his first preseason action after sitting out last week. Matt Gay kicked a 52-yarder in the second quarter for the Raiders.
Clowney returns to Houston
Houston defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, played the entire first half after sitting out last week. on a one-year contract earlier this month after spending his first five seasons in Houston.
He had a tackle and a quarterback hurry Thursday night. Clowney spent last season with the Cowboys and had 8 1/2 sacks.
Injuries
Las Vegas linebacker Buddy Johnson left early in the third quarter with a shoulder injury but returned in the fourth. 鈥� Las Vegas CB Chigozie Anusiem was carted off the field in the third quarter with a knee injury.
Up next
Raiders: Host San Francisco next Thursday night in their final preseason game.
Texans: End the preseason with a visit to Carolina on Aug. 28.
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