Cousins to Still Lead Las Vegas as Raiders Try to Halt Slide
The Las Vegas Raiders will keep Kirk Cousins under center as they try to end a four-game spiral this weekend, the team confirmed as it prepares to face the New York Jets on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.
“There is no controversy,” coach Klint Kubiak said Monday when the quarterback situation was raised. Kubiak added, “Kirk is playing at a very high level, and (he's) got to continue to do that for us to win,” making clear Cousins will remain the signal-caller as the Raiders seek to reverse their stretch of losses.
Bench Talk, Bench Decisions and Mendoza’s Timeline
Questions about whether the Raiders would turn to rookie Fernando Mendoza have circulated since the club’s recent struggles. One projection put forward by the New York Post suggested the team could explore moving off Kirk Cousins to pave the way for No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza; that scenario was presented in the Post as a possible avenue, not a confirmed plan.
For now, Kubiak has moved to quash speculation. When asked about the possibility of a switch after a 35-21 loss, he told reporters and reiterated to Vincent Bonsignore of The California Post that “Kirk is our starting quarterback.” That declaration followed the coach’s earlier comments that there was no controversy surrounding the choice to remain with Cousins.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that the Raiders had not held any serious discussions that week about sitting veteran starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Fernando Mendoza. Graziano added that the club’s plan has been to keep Mendoza on the bench for now and that he would be surprised to see Mendoza start any of the team’s next five games.
Why the Team Is Hesitant — and What’s Still Unclear
Public comments from the coaching staff emphasize continuity: Kubiak’s brief, firm statements framed the decision as one rooted in giving the Raiders the best chance to win now. Beyond that, outside reporting has characterized the choice as driven by a desire to manage Mendoza’s development and to “create the right environment” before naming him a full-time option; those characterizations remain in the realm of reporting and projection.
That approach leaves several questions unanswered. The Raiders have signaled they will not make an immediate change at quarterback in the face of recent losses, but the timeline for when — or whether — Mendoza will receive regular-season starts remains uncertain. Reporting that the team plans to keep Mendoza on the bench for the immediate stretch is a projection and should be viewed as such; it reflects how some insiders and reporters expect the Raiders to handle the rookie rather than an official club timeline released publicly.
The concise message from the coaching staff is clear: for this week and the next several games, Kirk Cousins will be the starter and the player charged with steering the offense out of its current skid. How that decision plays out on the field, and whether it changes if results do not improve, is a developing storyline the Raiders will have to manage as the season progresses.
