Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback competition appears to have reached its final stage, but head coach Klint Kubiak is still refusing to reveal whether Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza will get the starting job.
Both quarterbacks featured in the Raiders’ preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, yet Kubiak once again kept his decision under wraps.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesKubiak refuses to name Raiders’ starting quarterbackFollowing Las Vegas’ 18-12 loss, Kubiak was asked about his decision and made it clear that he is not ready to name his starter.
“I still don’t think we need to name anybody,” Kubiak said after Las Vegas’ 18-12 loss at Allegiant Stadium. “We have a lot to talk about at a lot of positions, so we want to watch the film and talk about everything as a staff.”
Cousins started the game and played two drives alongside the projected starters, with both possessions ending in field goals.
The veteran quarterback completed 8 of 11 passes for 51 yards and recorded a passer rating of 82.
Cousins, however, is not allowing the uncertainty around the starting role to affect his approach.
“Naming something one day could change the next,” Cousins said. “You just go about your business each day, methodically, and let the chips fall where they may.”
Mendoza entered the contest with 56 seconds left in the first quarter alongside some of the starters.
His night took a difficult turn when his pass intended for Jalen Nailor was intercepted by linebacker Tatum Bethune. The ball bounced off Nailor’s hands before Bethune secured it.
Kubiak defended Nailor on the play, saying the wide receiver should have made the catch.
Mendoza finished the game 7 of 14 for 57 yards with a passer rating of 31, while the 49ers also sacked him twice and pressured him six times.
Despite the difficult outing, Mendoza viewed the experience as another opportunity to learn.
“Pressure makes diamonds,” Mendoza said.
Kubiak also suggested that the rookie still has plenty of development ahead of him as the regular season approaches.
“He needs another three preseason games,” Kubiak said. “All those rookies do, and now that the season’s starting, the practice reps get smaller, and that’s just life. But as coaches, we’ve got to get them ready to play, keep developing them.”
With Kubiak still unwilling to make the call, the Raiders’ starting quarterback remains one of the questions surrounding the team heading into the regular season.
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