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The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-0 and are ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs, who are also undefeated. But a successful start to the season means we have to wait longer for QB Fernando Mendoza.
Sep 27, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) calls a play in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a very different situation than anyone expected after three weeks of the 2026 season. They’re 3-0, which is amazing. How many thought that would happen? Not many, considering this is the first 3-0 start since 2021. But starting 3-0 has downsides, and they all come down to rookie QB Fernando Mendoza.
Once it became clear Kirk Cousins was the starter, fans immediately turned their attention to the schedule. The first thing media and fans alike did was guess which game Mendoza would make his first start in. Some feel the Raiders game against the New York Jets could be the first.
It’s a good portion of the season, against a bad team, and it would have been weeks of bad football leading up to that week. But now, we have to look at things very differently. The downside to being 3-0 is that they’re a winning football team. And Cousins is playing amazing football. So, why would they put Mendoza in sooner rather than later? In fact, if this keeps going, and they
Kirk Cousins is playing as good as any quarterback right now
Who would have thought that after three weeks of NFL football, Kirk Cousins would be leading the league in passing touchdowns? He’s got nine, and the first player in NFL history to throw three TDs in each of their first three games with a new team.
And, sure, there’s this narrative about him that his arm is shot. The Raiders don’t throw the ball downfield much because Cousins simply can’t do it. And while it could be true. Cousins is still 11th in the league in intended air yards with 760, per Sports Info Solutions.
He’s also tenth in the league in on-target percentage at 77.9%, which means how many of his total throws were on target, whether they were caught or dropped. The Raiders’ starting QB is also tenth in EPA, or expected points per play, with 15.47. If you look at the numbers and the advanced metrics, Cousins may be a top-ten QB in the league.
The entire football world will have to wait a bit longer on Mendoza. But that is kind of a good thing. How many times have the Raiders signed a veteran QB over the last few years who looked like he still had juice, just to have none left? I’ll answer that for you: Every single one. Cousins still has something Now, whether he can do this for a full season or not is a different story. Right now, they’re just worried about beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4.
Las Vegas Raiders News
Kirk Cousins looks revitalized, Brock Bowers is playing like a true No. 1 receiver, and the defense has been a force. What does it all mean for Fernando Mendoza’s timeline?