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Fernando Mendoza turned heads in his first professional start as the Raiders rookie quarterback gave Las Vegas fans something to feel good about in the preseason opener against Arizona. More good than bad on the day, and for a first look at a young signal caller trying to earn his stripes, that is exactly what you want to see.
Shifting to the hardwood, Tyrese Haliburton sat down and got genuinely real about what Russell Westbrook meant to his generation of guards. Coming from one of the sharpest young minds at the position, that kind of acknowledgment carries weight. Westbrook's legacy, apparently, hits different when the next wave of talent says so themselves.
And in Detroit, the Lions secondary took a hit they did not need. Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Junior left the preseason opener against Cincinnati in the second quarter after going down on a tackle attempt. He did not return, and the severity of the injury remains unknown — but for a Lions defense already thin at corner, this one bears watching closely as training camp rolls on.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
