Kirk Cousins has been an absolute firecracker to kick off the 2026 NFL season, slinging three touchdown passes in every single one of his first three games with the Las Vegas Raiders. Yeah, you heard that right: three touchdowns, every game. With injuries absolutely pummeling quarterbacks across the league, finding a guy who can deliver like that is like striking gold, and Cousins is showing he’s more than just a stopgap.
Cousins Is Cooking, Forget the Past
Seriously, can we just acknowledge how ridiculous this start is for Cousins? He’s already tied for the league lead with a whopping nine touchdown passes, and he’s not just airing it out wildly. His 67.4 completion percentage is sitting pretty at eighth-highest among the 16 quarterbacks who’ve thrown 90-plus times this season. Forget whatever you remember about his last couple of seasons in Atlanta. The guy has always been a quality quarterback, and what he’s doing right now with the Raiders isn’t just good, it’s some of the best stat lines you’ll find at the position anywhere. Sure, no one expects him to keep up this three-TD-a-game pace for an entire season. That’s just wild talk. But to think he couldn’t stretch this hot streak out for another couple of weeks? C’mon. He’s already shown us the production; why bet against him in Week 4?
The Running Back Ripple Effect After Big Injuries
Now, let’s talk running backs because Week 3 brought some brutal news. Over in New York, the Jets saw Breece Hall go down with a thigh injury Sunday, and he never came back into the game. That’s a huge blow for them, but it immediately opens the door wide open for Braelon Allen. Even when Hall was healthy, Allen was involved, racking up 10 carries for 40 yards in the season-opener and scoring a touchdown in Week 2. This kid, a rookie fourth-rounder in 2024, already showed flashes with 334 rushing yards, 19 catches for 148 yards, and three touchdowns. If Hall misses time, Allen is stepping into feature-back duties, plain and simple. That risk of him just being a handcuff if Hall stays healthy? The potential reward if Hall is sidelined blows that out of the water.
Down in Miami, the Dolphins got hit even harder. Star running back De’Von Achane is out with a knee injury, and it sounds pretty significant. This team is already a rebuilding roster, woefully short on playmakers, so losing Achane is just crushing. But for Ollie Gordon II, it’s a massive opportunity. The guy immediately got 17 carries and three targets once Achane was out. That kind of volume, 20 touches, is literally impossible to ignore, even if he’s averaging less than three yards per carry for the second season in a row. He turned those touches into 55 scrimmage yards and a score, making him a top-15 fantasy running back this week. Efficiency might be lacking, but volume like that will always trump it, and Gordon proved it.
What’s Next for These Unexpected Stars?
As we head into Week 4, every eye should be on whether Cousins can keep this insane touchdown streak going for the Raiders. For the Jets and Dolphins, it’s about seeing if Allen and Gordon II can truly seize their unexpected feature-back roles. With bye weeks starting in Week 5, these performances are more critical than ever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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