Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 23

Raiders Fans Back Kirk Cousins for Week 1, With 90% Predicting a Losing 2026 Season

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jul 23

Raiders Fans Back Kirk Cousins for Week 1, With 90% Predicting a Losing 2026 Season

Q: Will Kirk Cousins' interceptions force the Raiders to start their rookie quarterback sooner than planned?

Yes—if Kirk Cousins repeats the turnover problems from 2024, it could accelerate Fernando Mendoza’s debut, even though the Raiders’ stated plan is to bring the rookie along slowly. The clearest signal from the survey and related reporting is that Las Vegas wants Cousins to open the season and give Mendoza time. More than two-thirds of fans prefer Mendoza not start until after Week 6, and team thinking around Klint Kubiak has pointed the same way: Cousins is the bridge starter, Mendoza the long-term answer. Cousins’ familiarity with Kubiak’s system and his strong 2021 production under Kubiak are major reasons for that patience. But that patience is conditional. Cousins is 37, coming off a season in which he threw a league-high 16 interceptions, and the Raiders are entering a difficult schedule with a roster still in rebuild mode. Multiple reports frame the timeline plainly: when Mendoza takes over depends largely on Cousins’ play and whether the team stays competitive. If Cousins is efficient, the Raiders can stick to the slow-development plan. If he is careless with the ball and the losses mount, the pressure to turn to the No. 1 overall pick will rise quickly. That does not mean one bad stretch automatically triggers a change. The organization appears committed to avoiding a rushed start for Mendoza, who is still developing in Kubiak’s offense. But interceptions are the most obvious factor that could force the Raiders off that plan sooner than they want.

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 23

Nearly 1,000 Raiders fans overwhelmingly support Kirk Cousins opening as the Week 1 starter, while only about 10% want rookie Fernando Mendoza to start within the first six games.
More than two-thirds prefer Mendoza’s first start to come after Week 6, and nearly a quarter do not want him to start at all as a rookie, backing the team’s deliberate development plan.
Cousins still draws caution: nearly half of respondents were neutral to concerned after his 16-interception 2024 season, even as Las Vegas bets on a healthier 37-year-old reuniting with coach Klint Kubiak.
Roster concerns center more on pass catchers than protection, with fans uneasy about the lack of a proven No. 1 receiver but largely confident in Brock Bowers, the tight ends and running backs.
More than 90% of respondents expect a losing season in 2026, though most would view improvement from last year’s three wins as progress and still believe the Raiders can reach the playoffs within three seasons.