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It’s a wonder how we ever got through four weeks of preseason games. Three is the perfect number.
The third-and-final week of preseason action, which concluded Saturday, featured a host of players hoping to nudge difficult decisions in their favor. But that’s not all. We also saw that Fernando Mendoza’s stats don’t reflect how good he’s been, that Anthony Richardson Sr. is looking right at home in Indianapolis, and that Green Bay could benefit down the road by letting Jordan Love call a few plays. Here are some takeaways at the close of preseason action.
Raiders are right to start Cousins, though Mendoza is ready
All signs point to the Las Vegas Raiders naming Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback, which was the plan all along. Mendoza’s final preseason stat line wasn’t pretty, but he’s ahead of where I thought he’d be. He is comfortable under center, and his footwork and ability to get through multiple reads have looked smooth. There are certainly plays he would like to have back, and his pocket movements could at times be better. On a pick-six against the Houston Texans, he drifted to the left, which caused his running back to drift that way and led to a miscommunication.
His interception against the San Francisco 49ers was a high pass thrown over the middle of the field. The play was a play-action “drift” concept. After the play-fake, 49ers linebacker Jalen Graham did a great job of getting back into his zone. Mendoza successfully threw the ball over Graham, but receiver Jalen Nailor had to fully extend in the middle of the field to try to catch it. Nailor dropped the pass, and it was intercepted.
Right into Bethune’s hands 🙌
📺: KPIX pic.twitter.com/qf1jq1StLX
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 28, 2026
“I thought that was an excellent throw,” Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said after reviewing the film. “He ripped it, just like we asked him to, on time. Yeah, it was a little bit high. Jalen’s gotta make a play.”
Coaches from this tree (Shanahan/Kubiak/McVay) want their quarterbacks to attempt these types of throws without hesitation. Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy have thrown these passes throughout their careers, but their arms are a lot weaker than Mendoza’s. Hopefully, the Raiders find a bigger target for Mendoza to attempt such audacious throws.
Mendoza has shown enough of a mental baseline to play, and he’ll improve with reps. But starting Cousins is the right move. The Raiders must find out how much the offensive line has progressed from the bottom-tier unit it was last season. Putting Mendoza in a situation where he has to run for his life would be bad for his development. If the offensive line improves and the playoffs look like they’re out of reach, Mendoza is absolutely ready to take over.
Top Plays from 49ers @ Raiders
Tagovailoa, Penix Jr. or … Jack Strand?
Tua Tagovailoa had a golden opportunity to establish himself as the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback, but after shaky performances in joint practices and botching two snaps in 25 preseason reps, he’s opened the door for Michael Penix Jr. to overtake him, even though Penix didn’t play at all in the preseason.
But Penix doesn’t seem like a great fit for coach Kevin Stefanski’s system. He isn’t comfortable turning his back to the defense on play-action concepts and hasn’t liked throwing into the middle since college. Would the Falcons consider giving UDFA quarterback Jack Strand a start if Penix falters when he gets his shot?
.@AtlantaFalcons QB Jack Strand throws for 212 yards and scores 2 touchdowns in Preseason Week 2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FVGq6WtkyV
— NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2026
Strand is close to 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 240 pounds. He has a sidearm whip release, but throws with zip and accuracy. He’s also a threat as a runner. Strand is coming from Minnesota State-Moorhead, a Division II school, but he looks to have at least earned a roster spot.
If Penix wins the job, he’ll have a long leash and every opportunity as a first-round pick. But he needs to be much better than he’s been so far as a pro. If Penix can’t do it and Strand continues to improve behind the scenes, why shouldn’t he get a shot in a potential gap year for the Falcons?
Richardson is where he belongs
After a tumultuous period with Indianapolis, a stretch that included his benching in favor of Daniel Jones, a serious eye injury, a trade request, and a possible demotion to third string, it looks like Anthony Richardson Sr. has settled in with the Colts. Richardson looked as good as I’ve ever seen him in the first preseason game against the Patriots. His footwork and mechanics have looked more efficient and, as a result, his accuracy has improved. He was comfortable playing from the pocket and still has the freaky athleticism to make plays when things break down. In Week 2, the Colts gave Riley Leonard a shot at starting. Richardson had to play with the third team, which didn’t give him much help in making an impression.
But in the final preseason game against the Lions, when he had one drive with some starters and two with the backups, Richardson looked in control and accurate again. He had one miscommunication on a fade route to Laquon Treadwell but threw accurately overall, finishing 7-for-10 for 80 yards.
The best scenario for Richardson was always to stay with the Colts. No system in the league fits his skill set better, and he would need time to learn another system. Richardson is still just 24 and is immensely talented. With Jones’ injury history, there will always be a chance the Colts will have to go back to Richardson. If that time comes, he has to be ready to take advantage of it after such a productive offseason.
Jordan Love, offensive coordinator
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said he let Jordan Love call plays in the second half of the Packers’ 42-38 comeback win against the Cardinals. His play calling led to 18 points and helped the Packers erase an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. On a third-and-21 in the third quarter, when most offensive coordinators would call a screen or draw to get to the next series, Love called a deep shot, and it almost worked. Receiver Isaiah Neyor was open, and QB Kyle McCord threw a perfect ball that went through Neyor’s hands.
Though this was a fun exercise for the Packers, I thought it was smart and could ultimately benefit both Love and LaFleur. Love got to experience what LaFleur has to think about in different situations and how to set up plays. He got a peek into the why of each play call. Sometimes, quarterbacks can call plays during two-minute drills. Love got to experience that on the sideline with the Packers down by 11 points. He caught the Cardinals in man coverage with a perfect deep-shot call, which led to a 28-yard touchdown pass from McCord to Kisean Johnson.
Kisean Johnson makes a diving catch in the end zone 🔥
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/IcqrYpK5oY
— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2026
Then, when the Packers got the ball back in their territory down by four, he got to experience play calling with the Packers wanting to score but also wanting to bleed the clock. This experience should help Love understand what LaFleur is thinking about in similar situations and will help him when he has to call or change a play. Play-calling head coaches often let other assistant coaches call plays in the preseason, but letting a young quarterback do so seems beneficial.
The great center shortage
There is a center shortage in the NFL. Last season, Frank Ragnow’s retirement and failed comeback attempt devastated the Lions’ offensive line. This offseason, former Bears center Drew Dalman suddenly retired, and fellow centers Cade Mays (Lions), Tyler Biadasz (Chargers) and Danny Pinter (Ravens) were injured.
Multiple teams are looking for center depth, including the Vikings, Jets and Commanders. I just watched Colts backup center Dalton Tucker have one of the worst games I’ve ever seen as far as inaccurate shotgun snaps. Finding a quality center is as important as ever with the proliferation of the Shanahan/McVay system. Teams will be scouring the waiver wire for them over the next couple of weeks.
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