LAS VEGAS — Amid a four-game losing streak, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said the team is evaluating everything, including looking toward the future by starting No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza over Kirk Cousins.
“We have to go watch the film,” Kubiak said after a 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. “I think at this point, we’re thinking about everything to fix our problems, how to fix our issues in the red zone, in the third quarter, personnel [and] scheme. We’ve got to talk about all of it.”
Cousins said nothing is changing in his approach. Similar to his remarks when he signed in April, the veteran quarterback said that if he isn’t the best option, he doesn’t “want to be out there, either.”
“I want the football team to have the best chance to win games,” Cousins said. “[During] the first OTA [practice], if that had become apparent, I would’ve been the first one to say, ‘Yeah, you can’t play me.'”
Cousins overcame a shaky first-half performance against the Rams and finished with 295 passing yards and two touchdowns. He had a 59.1% completion rate and a passer rating of 94.4. Los Angeles blitzed Cousins on 29.2% of his dropbacks, and he was sacked twice and pressured 19 times.
Through seven games, Cousins has thrown for 1,877 yards, a league-leading 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has thrown seven TDs in the past four games after nine in the first three.
Kubiak has been supportive of Cousins, with whom he has had a strong relationship since their time together with the Minnesota Vikings. Kubiak said after the Raiders’ loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6 that Cousins has played “superb” football.
Cousins, however, has understood the reality of his situation since the team drafted Mendoza with the first pick in April’s draft. If the losses begin to pile up, the likelihood of the team turning to the Heisman Trophy winner will increase.
Mendoza has made one appearance in his rookie campaign. He made his NFL debut at the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter in the Raiders’ Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards in his short time on the field.
Though the Raiders trailed by 22 points at the end of the third quarter Sunday, Kubiak said he did not consider a quarterback change because the team was making the game competitive down the stretch. The Raiders cut the deficit to 10 points with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.
Cousins said Mendoza has done a “great job” and “has a bright future ahead” of him.
“I’m going to try to go out there and play as well as I possibly can, help us win, and give [Mendoza] a great example to learn from until he does go out there eventually,” Cousins said.
Las Vegas is the third team in the past 10 seasons to start 3-0 or better and then lose four straight (2021 Broncos and Panthers). Cousins, however, has been the least of the Raiders’ problems during their skid.
The defense has struggled mightily. Since Week 4, the unit has allowed an average of 35.8 points and 416.5 yards per game. Las Vegas gave up 386 total yards Sunday, including 199 on the ground. Rams running backs Blake Corum and Kyren Williams each rushed for 90-plus yards. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw three touchdowns in the first half.
On top of that, the Raiders’ rushing attack has been nonexistent. Las Vegas hasn’t recorded at least 100 rushing yards since Week 3. Starting running back Ashton Jeanty had 61 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Rams, but he averaged only 1.9 rushing yards on eight attempts.
The Raiders’ struggles to run have forced them to throw more than Kubiak would like.
“You can’t win in this league having to throw it as much as we are throwing,” Kubiak said.
“If there’s no balance, then you are playing from behind.”
