Dice City Plus

Cousins keeps Raiders QB job as Mendoza gains reps

Raiders QB job remains Kirk Cousins’ to lose after he led a clean touchdown drive in the preseason opener. Fernando Mendoza threw his first Raiders touchdown pass, but Klint Kubiak made clear the rookie still needs live reps.

by
Mark Hebert
August 14, 2026

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins throws a pass against the Arizona Cardinals

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins throws a pass during the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium. Cousins led a sharp touchdown drive, strengthening his hold on the starting job as Fernando Mendoza continued developing behind him. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images

Kirk Cousins has been taking the first-team snaps throughout training camp. After Cousins led a touchdown drive in Thursday’s 27-14 loss to Arizona, Kubiak made the quarterback hierarchy even clearer.

Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.

More in Dice City Plus

Raiders 2-0 start builds belief under Kubiak

The Raiders' 2-0 start has brought early belief under Klint Kubiak after Las Vegas...
Lights settle for draw with Hartford on Hispanic Heritage Night

Las Vegas Lights FC settled for a 1-1 draw with Hartford Athletic on Hispanic...
Aces playoff seeding remains open entering final week

Aces playoff seeding remains unresolved with three games left in the regular season. Las...
Aviators extend winning streak behind Conn, Magdic

The Las Vegas Aviators extended their winning streak to six games with a 5-2...