Novig pricesSeahawks to face Fernando Mendoza's first NFL start after Raiders trade Kirk Cousins
With Kirk Cousins traded to Minnesota, No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza makes his first NFL start Sunday as the Raiders host the 5-4 Seahawks.
The Seattle Seahawks will see a different quarterback than they spent last week preparing for. Las Vegas traded Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick hours before Tuesday's deadline, and rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, will make his first NFL start Sunday when the Raiders host Seattle, Yahoo Sports reported.
The move changes the matchup. Cousins had been one of the league's most productive passers this fall, with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 20 touchdown passes ranked second in the NFL. Mendoza has thrown eight regular-season passes, all in garbage time of a 45-17 loss at New England, completing six for 48 yards. His preseason was uneven. Pro Football Focus had him at 26 of 46 for 250 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, one of them returned for a score against Houston.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said the rookie earned his chance through practice. "He's prepared, he's practiced extremely well," Kubiak told reporters, per Yahoo Sports. General manager John Spytek said the trade does not mean Las Vegas is giving up on 2026. The Raiders are 4-5 after a 3-0 start, and Mendoza's first three starts come against Seattle, Denver and Cleveland before the Week 13 bye. Yahoo noted that all three of those defenses ranked inside the top 13 in scoring defense entering Week 10.
The Associated Press, in a report carried by Seattle Sports, pointed out that Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to an unbeaten national title season, throwing for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. Las Vegas also has Aidan O'Connell, who started 17 games over 2023 and 2024, as its backup.
What it means for Sunday in Las Vegas
Seattle is 5-4 and has alternated wins and losses for the last six games. It won the last one, beating Arizona 17-3. The defense is the reason a rookie's debut looks like a hard assignment. The Seahawks have held three of their last five opponents to a field goal or less: Kansas City scored 3, Denver 17 and Arizona 3. Over nine games Seattle has allowed 162 points, or 18 per game. The 34 points Chicago scored two weeks ago are the exception. The offense has been less steady. Seattle averages about 22 points but has topped 20 only once in its last five games.
The board on this site lists 12 venues and has Seattle clearly favored. Novig prices the Seahawks at -264 on the moneyline and the Raiders at +251. On the spread, Novig has Seattle favored by 6.5 at -102. The best price anywhere is BetRivers at Seattle -6 for -114, so the venues are half a point apart. The total is 40.5 at Novig, with the Under at -104. Hard Rock Bet has the best Under price at 41, for -115. Sportsbook hold runs 2.9% to 5.3% across the markets. Live numbers are on the game odds page.
The teams kick off Sunday, Nov. 15, on CBS. For a Seattle defense that has shut down veteran passers, a quarterback with eight NFL attempts is a chance to win a road game against a team that has lost five of six. More coverage is on our Seahawks team page.