A little over three weeks after flat-out declaring Kirk Cousins his starter, Raiders first-year head coach Klint Kubiak is suddenly hedging big time on who’s going to be under center for Week 1. This is a dramatic shift from his unwavering stance just weeks ago, and it’s all thanks to the push from rookie Fernando Mendoza.
Kubiak’s Initial “Perfect World” Scenario Goes Sideways
Remember just a few months back? Kubiak was crystal clear. He wanted Fernando Mendoza to sit and learn behind a “mature adult” quarterback. He was saying this even before the Raiders drafted Mendoza! At the Spring League Meeting, he literally stated that “ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” hoping he could “learn behind somebody” in a “perfect world.” And then, BAM! A week later, the Raiders snagged Kirk Cousins, who totally fits that “mature adult” bill.
During OTAs and minicamps, Cousins was getting all the first-team reps, just like Kubiak drew it up. Mendoza was chilling with the second and third teams. The word on the street was they might even stash Mendoza until the Week 13 bye. Kubiak even doubled down on July 28, explicitly stating Cousins “is the starting quarterback. He’s the guy.” But even then, there was a tiny crack in his armor: he wanted Mendoza and Aiden O’Connell to “push him.” Little did we know how hard that push would come.
Mendoza Forces Kubiak’s Hand
Fast forward a little over three weeks, and that “push” has turned into a full-blown seismic shift. After Mendoza’s “somewhat shaky” game against the Houston Texans last Thursday , a game where Cousins sat out entirely , Kubiak straight up refused to name a Week 1 starter. He was like, “We got another week. I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job.” Talk about a vibe change!
In the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals last Thursday, Cousins played just one series, but he looked legitimate, going 5-of-6 for 50 yards and a touchdown, leading a score. Mendoza came in for four series (not counting the end-of-half kneeldown), leading two “quality drives” with some “clear and obvious high notes,” playing into the fourth quarter. But back then, Kubiak was still saying it was “Kirk’s job to lose” and called Mendoza “an ascending player” who “just got to keep getting better.” Now? He’s admitting all three quarterbacks “deserve first-team reps.” This whole situation is wild, from a locked-in plan to pure uncertainty in mere weeks.
So, where does this trail of breadcrumbs lead? We’ve got another week until Kubiak has to make a call. Will he stick to his initial vision, or has Mendoza, despite a “somewhat shaky” outing against Houston, forced his hand way sooner than anyone expected? The quarterback competition is officially hot, and everyone’s waiting for the final word.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply