The Raiders made their boldest move of the season on Tuesday, trading Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick. The offense now belongs to rookie Fernando Mendoza, and the No. 1 overall pick gets his first NFL start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Raiders averaged 26.4 points per game with Cousins, eighth in the league, so the rookie inherits an offense that knows how to score.

Head coach Klint Kubiak didn't sugarcoat the assignment, calling Seattle "the best defense in the NFL." Here are the three matchups that will shape Mendoza's debut.

Fernando Mendoza vs. Nick Emmanwori

Seattle has made life miserable for rookie quarterbacks under head coach Mike Macdonald. The four it has faced since 2024 went 0-4, combining for one touchdown pass, seven interceptions, and 17 sacks. The closest any of them came was Cam Ward, who threw for 256 yards in a six-point loss last season.

Safety Nick Emmanwori is the wild card. He has blitzed 54 times, the most of any defensive back in the league, and his 17 pressures match his total from all of last season.

Mendoza threw a nation-leading 41 touchdown passes in his Heisman season at Indiana, so the arm isn't the question. Spotting Emmanwori before the snap is. Mendoza sounds ready for the challenge, saying this week, "I'm a lot more confident as a quarterback, and I feel more developed."

Maxx Crosby vs. Seattle's patched-up left side

Seattle's offensive line is limping into Allegiant Stadium. Left tackle Charles Cross is managing an ankle injury and was limited in practice. Newly acquired guard Quenton Nelson, a three-time first-team All-Pro, is out after a knee procedure on Monday.

Without Nelson, the left side of that line is the softest target on the field. Crosby has four sacks this season. Sunday offers a real chance to add to that total against a backup quarterback who was limited in practice this week.

A couple of early hits would also take pressure off Mendoza. The less time Seattle's offense spends on the field, the fewer chances the rookie has to fall behind.

Raiders' back seven vs. Seattle's play-action game

Seattle loves to fake the handoff and throw over the top. Across the last two seasons, the Seahawks have averaged 9.9 yards per play on play-action passes, tops in the league. In 2026 alone, they've produced a successful play on 56.8% of their play-action snaps, fifth-best in the NFL.

The Raiders have been especially vulnerable to it. Opponents have produced a successful play on 59.7% of their play-action snaps this season, the second-worst rate in the NFL.

Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker and safety Jeremy Chinn have to keep their eyes disciplined. One bite on a fake against this offense can turn a manageable game into the kind of deficit no rookie quarterback wants to chase.