Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins had a strong start with a Week 1 victory, but his path to a 2-0 record hinges on following a new blueprint. Thanks to Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals completely feasting on the Los Angeles Chargers‘ secondary, Kirk Cousins owns the exact roadmap needed to exploit Los Angeles’ biggest weakness in Week 2.
The Arizona Cardinals shocked the Chargers in a 26-14 Week 1 upset, driven by Jacoby Brissett completing 73% of his passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. Granted, his 7.5 yards per attempt isn’t record-breaking, but it was more than enough to shred Los Angeles’ defense.
Jacoby Brissett 1 legged step back fadeaway with immediate pressure in his face perfectly in stride to McBride.
What a beauty 🎯 pic.twitter.com/uhsZ4zSwno
— K1SinceDay1 (@KSzn2021) September 14, 2026
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The Problem
At times, Cousins looked efficient, connecting with multiple targets and leading the Raiders to 27 points. However, as Levi Dombro from Just Blog Baby highlights, there was a significant concern.
“As Raider Nation is well aware, Cousins’ splits against Miami while throwing over and under 10 yards were staggering. On throws under 10 yards, Cousins was 20-for-22 with 139 yards and three scores. On throws of more than 10 yards, Cousins went just 1-for-7 with 21 yards and two interceptions.
“Against Los Angeles, though, Brissett had tons of success both in the short and intermediate areas of the field, as well as beyond that pesky 10-yard mark. On throws under 10 yards, Brissett was 20-for-24 for 147 yards and a touchdown. On throws over 10 yards, he went 7-for-11 for 130 yards.”
Cousins does not possess a strong arm. In all honesty, his arm produces ducks and wobbles when he’s heading downfield. As a result, he will need to adopt a more creative approach. For example, tight end Michael Mayer is not a burner, but he can get 12-15 yards on seam routes and break tackles by much smaller defenders.
Next, aiming for deeper passes along the sidelines could prevent interceptions like the ones the Dolphins snared. In the worst-case scenario, the ball sails out of bounds. Although Cousins cannot throw with velocity, that doesn’t mean he needs to stop trying.
Jacoby Brissett to Trey McBride for the 3 yard TD#RiseUpRedSea #AZvsLAC pic.twitter.com/7WiDjvBKZ7
— False Finish (@FalseFinishHQ) September 13, 2026
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Jesse’s Gone
Former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter took over as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. As a result, his replacement, Chris O’Leary’s scheme, lacks the precision and discipline of his predecessor’s. Cousins doesn’t have to throw 50/50 balls. Instead, nature gaps and openings will give the Raiders a chance to succeed. Vegas does not have a true No. 1 wideout, but they do have speed on the outside that, at worst, could draw a pass interference call. The Chargers’ free safety, Elijah Molden, continues to nurse a hamstring injury.
What went wrong for the Chargers?@getnickwright: “Jacoby Brissett thoroughly outplayed Justin Herbert and any other analysis is just asinine.”@GregJennings: “Justin Herbert got outplayed once again.” pic.twitter.com/CZkcvsACKg
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) September 14, 2026
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O’Leary knows what could be in store for him, which could truly help the Raiders find a way to victory.
“They got a veteran at quarterback in Kirk who can get him in the right plays and can make kind of the same as Brissett. He’s going to get the ball out on time. He’s going to be efficient [and] accurate.”
The Raiders can replicate what the Cardinals did by leveraging their initially improved offensive line and a ball-moving scheme. They can take cues from Brissett, who was effective without forcing the ball vertically.
Raiders QB Kirk Cousins Owns the Perfect Blueprint to Shred Chargers Defense