4-game losing streak: Raiders coach keeping Kirk Cousins as starting QB despite pick Fernando Mendoza waiting
Raiders hit a difficult stretch
The Raiders began the 2026 season with a 3-0 record, the franchise’s first such start since 2021. Cousins was leading a new regime under head coach Klint Kubiak.
The team then lost four straight games. Its most recent defeat was 35-21 against the Los Angeles Rams, who returned to winning form Sunday.
Kubiak backs Cousins
The losing run prompted questions about whether Kubiak would turn to Mendoza. The rookie was selected first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft but has yet to take the field this season.
Kubiak told reporters that Cousins was playing at a very high level and needed to continue doing so for the team to win. He also said the Raiders needed to improve the support around the quarterback and looked forward to Cousins playing the Jets.
Mendoza continues development
Mendoza is expected to keep developing behind Cousins ahead of the game against the Jets. The article provides no timetable for when the rookie might play. There is a discrepancy between the headline and the account of the team’s results: the headline refers to a four-game win streak, while the body says Las Vegas has lost its last four games.
Key points
- Klint Kubiak says Kirk Cousins will stay at quarterback for the Raiders.
- Las Vegas has lost four consecutive games, according to the article’s body.
- Fernando Mendoza, the 2026 draft’s top pick, has not played this season.
- The headline claims a win streak, but the body reports a four-game losing streak.