The Las Vegas Raiders‘ 2-0 start to the 2026 NFL campaign is one of the season’s biggest surprises. After beating the Miami Dolphins at home, the Silver and Black added to the Los Angeles Chargers‘ misery with an impressive road win.
Veteran QB Kirk Cousins is at the heart of the Raiders’ great start. In the Week 2 win over Los Angeles, the Chargers were daring Cousins to beat them as they took away the running game, as Las Vegas only had 57 rushing yards.
Nonetheless, Cousins showed that age is just a number, going 19-for-29 on his pass attempts for 253 passing yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 113.1.
With the Raiders looking to go 3-0 against the New Orleans Saints, former NFL QB Russell Wilson is already making a strong prediction regarding Cousins.
“You got to have that grit, and I think Kirk’s had that grit over his career,” Wilson said in a Sept. 22 video from CBS Sports. “He never gave up on the moment. Even with him being in Atlanta, they draft a guy, and he stays poised. He still helps out [Michael Penix Jr.].
“I think those are the things that go a long way and show the character of who you are, and I think Kirk’s done a great job of that. But also, could Kirk Cousins win Comeback Player of the Year? I’m just saying it now. I think Kirk Cousins wins Comeback Player of the Year.”
Russell Wilson on Kirk Cousins Success Through Two Weeks
Moreover, Wilson’s take that Cousins will win Comeback Player of the Year is due to the connection with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
“Kirk’s gone through a lot of stuff over the past couple of years, and he’s managed it well,” Wilson noted. “I think Kirk Cousins has done a great job of managing all the noise around him, saying that he’s done this and that and listen, the system matters, who you’re with.
“I think Klint Kubiak being the offensive coordinator when he was offensive coordinator in Seattle, I was around him actually, too, in Denver, but also as well. They had a good relationship when they were in Minnesota. They did a great job together. To me, Kirk Cousins has responded in a great way, and that’s what this game’s about. It’s like you got to keep going.”
Maxx Crosby Gives True Thoughts on Raiders’ 2-0 Start
While 2-0 is a good start and Raiders’ Maxx Crosby enjoyed the moment after the win over the Chargers, he doesn’t want the team to be content as there’s room for improvement ahead of Week 3.
“It’s amazing,” Crosby told reporters. “That’s why you play this game. You play to win. We got a lot of work to do. I think we all know that. Starting 2-0 is a good start. We know we’re going to enjoy this [win] on the way back, and then it’s right back to work.
“New Orleans is a really good team, and they’ve had a lot of success so far. They won today against Baltimore, I believe, and they got a lot of young talent on that team. So we definitely got some work to do. Need another great week of work and go capitalize on another opportunity.”
Raiders’ 2-0 Start Sparks Intriguing Kirk Cousins Prediction