Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Makes QB Decision After Los Angeles Rams Loss

Kirk Cousins remains the Las Vegas Raiders’ starting quarterback after their loss© X/@RapSheet

The Las Vegas Raiders suffered another defeat when questions about Kirk Cousins in the lineup grew louder. A 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams left the team searching for answers, with rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza waiting for his chance. Head coach Klint Kubiak had opened the door to reviewing personnel decisions after Sunday's game, giving supporters reason to wonder whether a change was coming. By Monday, Kubiak had settled the matter ahead of the Raiders' Week 8 trip to face the New York Jets.

Las Vegas Raiders confirm Kirk Cousins as starting QB

Kubiak wasted little time ending the speculation during his Monday media session. He confirmed Cousins would remain the starter and rejected the idea that the position was up for grabs.

“Kirk is our starting quarterback,” Kubiak said. “There is no controversy.”

The coach backed his decision by pointing to Cousins' play and the team's position in the standings. Las Vegas had started the season 3-0 but dropped four straight games, leaving Kubiak under pressure to find a way back to winning football.

“Kirk's playing really well, and we're in the hunt,” Kubiak said. He added that the Raiders needed to keep supporting the veteran while continuing Mendoza's development.

Cousins had started all seven games, completing 62.6% of his passes for 1,877 yards, with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Those numbers gave Kubiak a case for sticking with an experienced quarterback, even as the team's recent results raised questions about its direction.

For now, the coach chose to pursue wins and not to hand the offense to the rookie first overall pick. The upcoming matchup against the Jets offered Las Vegas an opportunity to stop its slide.

Fernando Mendoza must wait for his NFL opportunity

Mendoza's limited playing time has become part of the conversation after the Raiders' latest defeat. The 23-year-old had appeared in one regular-season game, completing six of eight passes for 48 yards against the New England Patriots.

Kubiak had faced questions about whether to give the rookie a chance during Sunday's loss. The Raiders trailed 28-6 at halftime, and their offense failed to score in the third quarter. Despite the deficit, the coaching staff did not put Mendoza into the game.

The decision drew criticism from the Las Vegas Raiders on SI, which argued that the rookie should have received playing time as the outcome slipped away. Kubiak, however, maintained that the team had a plan for his development.

“Yeah, eventually Fernando is going to play football. We have a plan. We don't have a timeline for that,” the coach said

Cousins will lead the offense against New York, while the rookie continues to wait for his next opportunity. Kubiak's choice leaves the veteran with a clear task: turn the Raiders' losing streak around and give the team a reason to keep its quarterback plans unchanged.