Raiders coach Kubiak keeps Cousins starting QB despite four-game losing streak

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed Monday that Kirk Cousins will remain the starting quarterback for the upcoming Sunday game against the New York Jets, dismissing speculation that the team would switch to first-round pick Fernando Mendoza. The decision comes after the Raiders lost their fourth consecutive game, a 35-21 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams that ended a perfect 3-0 start to the 2026 season. The Raiders began the campaign with their first three-game winning start since 2021, but their recent slide has prompted questions about whether Kubiak would turn to Mendoza, who has not yet appeared in a regular-season game.

Kubiak addressed the debate directly, stating that Cousins is playing at a high level and must continue to do so for the team to win. "We got to keep helping all the surrounding areas," Kubiak told reporters, as reported by ESPN. "[I'm] excited for him to go play against the Jets." While Kubiak invited scrutiny by saying "everything" would be evaluated if the Raiders lose another game, he maintained that the current statistical performance supports keeping Cousins in the lineup.

Cousins leads all NFL quarterbacks in passing touchdowns this season with 16. He also ranks third in passing yards with 1,877 and has completed 62.6% of his passes. Through seven games, Cousins has thrown five interceptions against his 16 touchdowns, resulting in a 97.4 quarterback rating. These figures form the basis of Kubiak's argument that the offense is functioning effectively enough to warrant patience with the rookie.

The plan outlined by Kubiak involves using Cousins to run the offense efficiently while allowing Mendoza time to develop on the sidelines. "Kirk is playing really well, and we're in the hunt," Kubiak said. "It's really important that we keep playing really well behind him and keep developing Fernando." Kubiak clarified that while Mendoza is "going to play football," that will not happen this week. "Fernando is going to play at some point. It's not going to be this week," he stated.

The Raiders travel to face a 2-5 Jets team that recently secured its first win of the season against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7. Kubiak expressed confidence that the team will rebound against a struggling opponent. If Las Vegas drops another game, the conversation regarding Mendoza's potential debut may return to the forefront for the first-year head coach.