The Las Vegas Raiders officially have a losing record after losing their fourth straight game to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. At 3-4, the playoffs are looking less and less likely for the team.
This has led to many calls for the Raiders to replace starting quarterback Kirk Cousins with rookie No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. After the loss, head coach Klint Kubiak suggested that all options are on the table, but now he’s walking that back.
Kubiak made it clear that Cousins is still the starting quarterback and isn’t at risk of losing his job.
“There is no controversy there,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “He’s playing at a very high level. … Excited for him to go play against the Jets.”
The losing streak isn’t on Cousins. He currently leads the NFL with 16 touchdown passes. His lack of mobility is a real problem, but he’s not turning the ball over much, nor is he taking a ton of sacks.
The Raiders’ real problems lie with the defense and running game. Unless the team can figure out how to fix those issues, it doesn’t matter who plays quarterback. The Raiders clearly have a plan for Mendoza and don’t want to change course yet.
Kubiak Says Mendoza Will Play
Some fans are losing patience with the Raiders, but the team was never expected to be great this year. Starting off 3-0 may have skewed the perception of this season.
Before the year, everybody thought the Raiders were having a rebuilding year and winning wasn’t a priority. That’s exactly what’s happening.
Now, many argue that the Raiders might as well put Mendoza in to get him some experience. Kubiak assured everybody that Mendoza will play at some point, but the team isn’t going to move off of their plan.
“Fernando is going to play football,” Kubiak said. “We have a plan. We don’t have a timeline for that. Kirk is playing well, and we’re in the hunt.”
From Kubiak’s perspective, the Raiders can’t run the ball and only have one wide receiver consistently making plays. That’s not an ideal situation for a rookie. If the offense can fix those issues, then it would be more appealing to play the rookie.
Insider Thinks Raiders Should Pivot
The Raiders’ schedule has been brutal. Their last four games have all come against real Super Bowl contenders, not just fringe playoff teams.
Things get a bit easier in Week 8, as they play a 2-5 New York Jets team, but then it gets harder with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks being the opponents in the following weeks. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Jets game is the perfect time to give Mendoza his first start.
“Now also feels like the right time to make the move,” Barnwell wrote. “Four of Vegas’ next five games are on the road, but its matchup with the Jets on Sunday is the easiest possible starting point for Mendoza in the immediate future. After that game, the Raiders will go up against the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos and Browns before their Week 13 bye. If the Raiders want to insert Mendoza into the lineup with a relatively weak matchup, that move is either going to come now or against the Chargers in Week 14.”
Klint Kubiak Announces Starting QB Decision Amid Calls For Fernando Mendoza