Raiders Coach Kubiak Backs QB Cousins Amid Losing Streak

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has stated that Kirk Cousins will continue to be the starting quarterback, despite the team's recent four-game losing streak. The Raiders are set to face the New York Jets, who currently hold a 2-5 record.

This decision comes after the Raiders lost to the Los Angeles Rams 35-21, marking their fourth consecutive defeat. The team began the 2026 NFL season with a 3-0 record under Kubiak's new regime, a start not seen since 2021. The recent skid has led to speculation about a quarterback change, with questions arising about whether Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, would be given a chance to play.

Kubiak addressed these concerns on Monday, expressing confidence in Cousins' performance. "[Cousins is] playing at a very high level, and he’s got to continue to do that for us to win," Kubiak told reporters, via ESPN. "We got to keep helping all the surrounding areas. [I’m] excited for him to go play against the Jets."

Cousins' statistics this season include leading the NFL with 16 passing touchdowns and ranking third in passing yards with 1,877. He has completed 62.6% of his passes, thrown five interceptions, and holds a quarterback rating of 97.4 through seven games. Kubiak acknowledged that while "everything" would be evaluated after a loss, the numbers support Cousins' continued role.

Mendoza, a product of Miami, is expected to play football at some point, but Kubiak emphasized that it would not be this week. "Kirk is playing really well, and we’re in the hunt," Kubiak added. "It’s really important that we keep playing really well behind him and keep developing Fernando."

The team's strategy was to have Cousins efficiently operate the offense while allowing Mendoza time to develop. With the upcoming game against a struggling Jets squad that recently suffered its first win of the season against the Miami Dolphins, Kubiak remains confident that Cousins and the team will regain their momentum. The status of Mendoza's debut remains uncertain, but Kubiak indicated that if the Raiders continue to struggle, the conversation about a quarterback change might be revisited.