The Las Vegas Raiders‘ QB situation is now at the forefront of the conversation from a national media perspective. At 3-4 and riding a four-game losing streak, the topic is now whether the Silver and Black should begin the Fernando Mendoza era and bench Kirk Cousins.
Nonetheless, the Raiders’ losing streak isn’t due to Cousins’ play, as he has played 299 pass snaps for the Silver and Black, leading to a 72.8 overall PFF grade so far this season.
Moreover, Cousins has thrown for 1,877 yards and 16 touchdowns against five interceptions while recording nine big-time throws and seven turnover-worthy plays.
Despite being under .500, the Raiders have an opportunity to get back on track against a New York Jets team led by Geno Smith. Still, former NFL QB Eli Manning shared his thoughts on whether Mendoza is best served continuing to learn on the sidelines behind Cousins or if it’s time to head out on the field.
“I think you learn a little bit, but you don’t learn the things you need to learn,” Manning said in an Oct. 29 video from The Volume. “Obviously, having Kirk there this year helps. This is how a professional does this. You can learn, but now you have to go play the game. I think you need that live action eventually.
“If they’re not necessarily in the playoff hunt, you have to throw Fernando in there. It’s really just to prepare him for next year so he can go into that season and win some games without having to go through those rookie struggles.”
Rob Gronkowski on How Raiders Should Handle QB Situation
Meanwhile, former NFL tight end and FOX Sports analyst Rob Gronkowski shared his thoughts on the Raiders’ QB situation.
“This is when you start Fernando Mendoza, is when Kirk Cousins starts falling off. If he does start falling off, he’s playing great football,” Gronkowski said in an Oct. 27 video from FOX Sports. “You can’t bench a guy that is playing at that level of football in the NFL.”
RG III Says Fernando Mendoza Gives Las Vegas Best Chance
Despite Cousins playing well for the Raiders, former NFL QB Robert Griffin III believes that Mendoza gives the Silver and Black the best chance to win as the team hits another challenging part of their schedule.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Kirk Cousins and what he’s been able to accomplish in his NFL career,” Griffin said during an Oct. 26 appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.” “He’s a former teammate of mine. The one thing we always knew about Kirk when we were teammates in Washington, in particular, was that the guy was going to fight tooth and nail every down, all 60 minutes of a football game. The stats were always going to support that.
“I think for right now, for the Raiders, it’s about whether he gives you the best chance to win games. You’re on a four-game losing streak, so yes. I think he’s leading the league in touchdown passes with 16. He didn’t play particularly well in the first half of this game, but the numbers support keeping him out there and allowing him to play. Ultimately, for Kirk and his career, and for the Raiders right now, it comes down to winning.”
Eli Manning Gets Candid on Raiders QB Situation Before Week 8