HOUSTON — The Las Vegas Raiders have challenged Fernando Mendoza throughout his first NFL training camp. They gave the No. 1 pick his biggest test to date on Tuesday, at the hands of a fierce opponent.

Mendoza got extensive reps with the Raiders’ first team against the Houston Texans’ starting defense during the teams’ joint practice. It was the first time the rookie quarterback has worked with the starters in a session that Kirk Cousins also participated in. Head coach Klint Kubiak said it was the team’s “plan all along” to work Mendoza with the ones during the session, and was pleased with the experience he got.

“I thought he did some good things,” Kubiak said. “I look forward to watching the tape. But just he and his teammates, all these young guys that we’re playing, we’ve got to get them up to speed real quick.”

Cousins still took the first reps with the starters during each team period. But instead of swapping in the second unit after the veteran’s drives like they’ve done throughout camp, Kubiak kept the first team on the field with Mendoza during multiple periods. Mendoza also worked with the twos, while Aidan O’Connell followed with the threes.

Things certainly sped up for Mendoza against the Texans defense — the NFL’s No. 1 unit last season in terms of yardage allowed. Houston’s exceptional pass rush bore down on the rookie, hurrying his timing and progression. Mendoza handled the heat as well as he could, checking plays at the line when he saw potential pressure, and hitting his hot routes when defenders got through quickly.

Mendoza also flashed what he’s capable of versus an elite group. On his final play of the second team period, he dropped back and rolled to his left away from pressure. Keeping his eyes downfield, he saw star tight end Brock Bowers streaking open deep down the sideline. Despite sharing barely any reps with Bowers during training camp, the quarterback slotted his throw perfectly as the two connected for the offense’s biggest chunk play of the day.

“Brock Bowers, there’s no explanation needed,” Mendoza said. “It’s Brock Bowers, so it made it easier there … It was for sure reassuring that you could go out there and and say, O.K., it’s one of the top defenses in the league. At the same time, football is football and if you make your read and you stay disciplined to the process and take what the defense gives you, then you can reap the rewards.’”

Mendoza also made mistakes, to be expected in his first opportunity against a top-tier opponent. During a red-zone team period, he threw a near interception to cornerback Kamari Lassiter in the end zone. A couple of plays later, nickel Jalen Pitre pounced on a pass to running back Ashton Jeanty coming across the field, intercepting it and taking it back for a would-be pick-six. Mendoza said he thought Pitre was further back than he was and called the turnover “a great learning experience.”

“That’s the beautiful nature of film: you’re gonna be able to go in there, watch and learn,” Mendoza said. “Although I take every practice like a game, there’s no negative repercussions from today except learning experience. You never want to let your teammates down in a red-zone period. But at the same time, it’s the best time for it to happen, especially against another team.”

Mendoza’s reaction to the turnover encapsulates the attitude he took into the day. He said he approached the practice with an “opportunistic mindset,” wanting to take advantage of every aspect of working with the ones.

“I think it’s great to get the speed of the game because every group is fast, but the ones might be elevated a little bit more.” Mendoza said. “To get that speed of the game, be in there, be able to not only execute the play, but also command the huddle, see and read the defense pre-snap, post-snap. There’s so many different elements that I think are elevated and accelerated with that group.”

Kubiak, Cousins and other Raiders have spoken positively about Mendoza’s mindset during training camp. The Texans also took notice on Tuesday, with multiple Houston defenders saying the spirit he plays with stands out.

“I’ve got a ton of respect for him,” Texans edge Will Anderson Jr. said. “I loved his energy. I loved how he was cheering on his O-line, cheering his team on. He’s gonna be a really great quarterback in this league.”

Cousins, offensive line challenged

The 14 seasons of NFL experience Cousins has on Mendoza didn’t make Tuesday’s joint practice any easier for him. The veteran was similarly sped up against Houston’s pressure and looked less comfortable than he has throughout camp.

Like Mendoza, Cousins had success hitting his checkdowns as the rush converged. But he also tried to make plays downfield as the pocket collapsed, leading to some sacks, batted passes and off-target throws.

“You feel their rush,” Cousins said. “They do a good job pursuing and playing fast and felt a lot like these joint practices can get. We throw a jab, they throw a jab in terms of just making a play here, they make a play there, and that’s kind of pro football right now. It’s very back and forth.”

Cousins’ best punch came during the red-zone period, as he found Bowers in the middle of the end zone for the team’s lone passing touchdown of the day. But as practice wore on, Houston’s blows began to accumulate. Anderson and fellow pass rusher Danielle Hunter were consistently in the backfield during the final team period, with Hunter notching a sack and Anderson deflecting a pass at Cousins’ release point to the quarterback’s dismay. The practice also concluded with Cousins tossing a pick-six to Lassiter.

“Probably would have liked to have finished a little stronger,” Cousins said. “But we made some plays in the first few periods that we were pleased with, and we’ll keep building from here.”

The Raiders’ offensive line struggled to handle Anderson, Hunter and the other Houston pass rushers. Cousins said he certainly felt their effects, but he was prepared for pressure going into the day. He added that it’s on him and the quarterbacks to help their protection when issued such a challenge.

“It’s a tall task. Nobody really can just drop back and take seven-step drops play after play after play against any rush in the NFL, let alone these guys,” Cousins said. “We asked a lot of them today, and it’ll be really good film to go watch.”

The Raiders also had minimal success in the run game. Kubiak said he didn’t feel like they had a great day with their rushing attack, but is excited to apply the experience to Thursday’s preseason game.

“We all know that we’re not anywhere near where we want to be,” Kubiak said. “We’ve got to keep getting better.”

Run-defense doubts persist

The 156 rushing yards the Raiders allowed to the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game can be taken with a grain of salt. The team employed its base defensive looks and often operated out of their nickel package, not wanting to give much away. But in the privacy of a joint-practice setting, the troubles Las Vegas had stopping an opponents on the ground still lingered.

The Raiders gave way to a Texans rushing attack that was among the league’s worst a season ago. Houston’s offensive line got a push up the middle and created holes for backs David Montgomery and Woody Marks to run through. Both had enough big runs on the day for Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans to deem them “the highlights” of the joint practice.

Despite the struggles, linebacker Nakobe Dean said he feels the Raiders are “in a good spot” with their run defense.

“We’re getting better every day,” Dean said. “We are transitioning to where we want to be with certain calls and certain personnel groupings that’s out there to stop the run. So, we’re getting there.”

Dean and the linebackers felt solid about their day after Quay Walker had the defensive highlight of practice. Trailing a running back wheel route downfield, Walker picked off quarterback C.J. Stroud during the final team period, taunting the Texans a bit afterwards. Plays of the sort are why Dean believes the LB group is the “heartbeat” of Rob Leonard’s defense.

The Raiders’ pass defense looked solid overall, with pressure finding its way through against Stroud. Star edge rusher Maxx Crosby had multiple sacks and also got into a bit of a scuffle with Texans rookie offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge.

Jackson Powers-Johnson down

Kubiak said that he doesn’t expect right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson to play in Thursday’s preseason game after getting “banged up” during Monday’s practice back in Henderson, Nev.

Powers-Johnson left the session with a trainer and didn’t return. He was in Houston on Tuesday, but observed the joint practice in street clothes.

With Powers-Johnson down, the Raiders will get a substantial look at second-year guard Caleb Rogers against a top defense. Rogers began rotating with Powers-Johnson with the first team midway through training camp, and the starting job is still up for grabs, according to Kubiak.

“He’s a great presence,” Cousins said of Rogers. “He’s got a lot of dog to him. He’s a fighter, competitive, and wants to be a really good player.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When Bo Nix was inadvertently knocked to the ground by defensive tackle Malcolm Roach during a red-zone play early in training camp, a silent hush fell over the field.

“It got quiet real quick,” nose tackle D.J. Jones said. “Everybody stopped.”

After a tense moment, Denver’s third-year quarterback bounced to his feet, no damage done. Practice kept humming.

When Nix again found himself on the ground during Tuesday’s training camp practice, though, there was nothing quiet about the scene. After Nix was tripped up, with a defensive player landing on top of him, he got up and fired the ball in the apparent direction of Roach, who had been near the collapsing pocket alongside Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto. That lit the fuse on the sequence that followed during the most animated practice of this camp for the Broncos — and among the most spirited since Sean Payton took over as the team’s head coach in 2023.

Nix, two plays after hitting the ground, threw a pass that was intercepted by linebacker Alex Singleton on the left side of the field. A melee broke out on the opposite side of the field between the offensive and defensive lines. Bonitto appeared to jump on the pile as bodies hit the ground, and Nix grabbed the All-Pro pass rusher by the leg, attempting to yank him out of the pile.

Nix ultimately had to be held back by left tackle Garett Bolles. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey and Bonitto were also pushed to their respective corners by assistant coaches as they continued shouting at one another. Center Calvin Throckmorton was being treated for an apparent cut to his nose after emerging from the bottom of the pile.

When Nix spoke to the media following Tuesday’s practice, he described the incident with all the excitement of a kid who had just spent a day at the water park.

“I love it,” Nix said with a grin when asked about the confrontation with the defensive side of the ball. “It’s football. It’s a physical practice out there, played by physical people. It got intense, and we were just really enjoying it. Sometimes in the dog days of summer, when the practice gets long, the intensity runs high.”

Payton was not scheduled to speak after Tuesday’s practice — he’ll likely address the dust-up Wednesday — but defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and offensive coordinator Davis Webb both spoke about the need to “not cross the line” when emotions reach a boiling point.

“I’m glad that we’re fiery and I love the competition out here,” Webb said. “It’s been unbelievable to watch both sides of the ball make some plays during this period, but we can’t cross the line. That’s offense and defense. That’s not just one person or one position group. We all have a part in that. We’ll handle that to make sure we understand we’re the Denver Broncos — not offense versus defense.”

Added Joseph: “We all know on defense to avoid the quarterback. It gets competitive, obviously, and guys are rushing to win the down. Sometimes they get too close, and we simply remind them. But Bo’s our quarterback, and we don’t want anyone near Bo.”

Glimpses of Nix’s fiery side have been seen during games. There was the time during the quarterback’s rookie season when he and Payton had an animated discussion on the sidelines during a failed offensive series against the Raiders that was caught by broadcast cameras, leading the coach to say afterward that Nix still had “a little Ferris Bueller in him.” During the second game against the Raiders that season, cameras captured Nix, his eyes menacingly wide, shouting at Las Vegas defensive end Tyree Wilson.

Nix mixing it up with teammates during practice, though, has been a rare occurrence during his three seasons as the team’s quarterback. The incident Tuesday came during a practice that had already featured a brief fracas during a 9-on-7 rushing drill, with rookie tight end Justin Joly scrapping with the defense. When Joly got popped while trying to make a catch during an 11-on-11 period, minutes later, nearly every member of the defense burst from the sideline in celebration.

Nix was clearly frustrated, at least in the moment, about being contacted in the pocket, a violation of practice rules for every team in the league. But his animated reaction could also be seen as a byproduct of the eager energy Nix is holding as he prepares to see the field in Friday’s preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. It will be his first game action since he suffered a fractured ankle in the playoffs against the Bills.

“He’s excited and I think you could feel that last week when he didn’t play,” Webb said, referring to the team’s decision to hold Nix out of the preseason opener in Atlanta. “(He) was kind of down. I know he’s excited, but there’s a lot more games in his career, so I think he’ll be just fine.”

Nix is only expected to play a series or two, but Webb said it will be important for the quarterback to “get all those feels back” as he pilots the offense in a game setting for the first time since January.

“I’m super excited, and it’s always a blast to play at home,” Nix said. “It’s great to get in front of our fans, and it will be great to get out in front of them for the first time this year, put the pads on and go out there and play a game. For me, all the games feel the same, so it will be good to go out there and get some work in.”

Webb has now called two preseason games — last week’s win in Atlanta and last year’s home victory against the Cardinals — but Nix did not play in either. That means Friday will mark the first time the team’s new play caller, who served as Denver’s quarterbacks coach the previous two seasons, will be in Nix’s ear during a game. It will be a brief period of work before Nix moves to the sideline, but it’s nonetheless an important next step for a quarterback who had two offseason ankle surgeries.

“He hasn’t played in a while, so just get all those feels back, from pregame warmups to running out with the team,” Webb said. “Getting your first completion, getting ahead for the first time, hopefully a touchdown. Just feel those emotions, deep breathe it out and then go watch the rest of the guys play.”

Bobby Witt Jr. takes a two-game homer streak into the Kansas City Royals’ game versus the Athletics at 7:40 p.m. ET on Tuesday, at Kauffman Stadium. Daniel Lynch (4-4, 2.88 ERA) will start for the Royals, who are 52-74 this season and fifth in the AL Central. Brady Basso (0-0, 4.35 ERA) is the expected starter for the Athletics, who are 49-76 and fourth in the AL West.

How to watch Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals

Athletics vs. Royals odds

• Favorite Moneyline: Royals -167
• Underdog Moneyline: Athletics +135
• Total: 9
• Total Over Odds: -110
• Total Under Odds: -110

Injury reports

Royals

Tony Gonsolin: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Beck Way: 15 Day IL (Back), Jonathan India: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Cole Ragans: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Luinder Avila: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Alec Marsh: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Carlos Estévez: 60 Day IL (Foot), Nick Mears: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Stephen Kolek: 60 Day IL (Flexor), Connor Seabold: 60 Day IL (Lat), James McArthur: 60 Day IL (Elbow)

Athletics

Nick Kurtz: 10 Day IL (Thumb), Shea Langeliers: 10 Day IL (Knee), Josh Kuroda-Grauer: 10 Day IL (Testicle), Tyler Soderstrom: 10 Day IL (Hip), José Suarez: 15 Day IL (Hip), Jeffrey Springs: 15 Day IL (Hip), Justin Sterner: 60 Day IL (Knee), Denzel Clarke: 60 Day IL (Foot), Brooks Kriske: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Mark Leiter Jr.: 60 Day IL (Hip), Brent Rooker: 60 Day IL (Knee), Luis Severino: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Gunnar Hoglund: 60 Day IL (Knee), Jacob Wilson: day-to-day (Undisclosed)

Stats to know

• Witt is hitting for a .286 BA, .359 OBP and .461 SLG with a 17.6% strikeout rate and a 10.2% walk rate. His OPS is .819 and he has scored 67 runs. In 471 plate appearances, he has hit 15 home runs and driven in 46 runs. Witt has been crafty on the base paths, recording 33 steals on 39 attempts.
• In 455 plate appearances, Jac Caglianone is hitting .276/.327/.492 with a .819 OPS and six steals on eight attempts. He has hit 22 long balls, driven in 60 runs and scored 57 times.
• Jeff McNeil has hit six home runs this season. He has also tallied 40 RBIs and has scored 34 runs. In 375 plate appearances, he has recorded a .259 BA, .314 OBP and .356 SLG with a 6.7% walk rate and an 11.7% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording six steals on eight attempts.
• In 337 plate appearances, Jacob Wilson has posted an 11.6% strikeout rate and a 3.6% walk rate while slashing .266/.298/.388 with seven home runs, 37 RBIs and 37 runs scored.

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