Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said he did not consider playing rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza during Sunday's 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, even as the team trailed by 22 points late in the third quarter. Kubiak explained the decision by saying the Raiders "made it a competitive game" after two fourth-quarter touchdowns by starter Kirk Cousins cut the deficit to 10 points, though the Rams answered with a scoring drive to seal the victory.
The loss marked the fourth straight for Las Vegas after a 3-0 start. Asked when the organization might look toward the future at the position, Kubiak said, "I think at this point, we're thinking about everything. How to fix our problems. How to fix our issues in the red zone. In the third quarter and personnel, scheme — we've got to talk about all of it."
Cousins, 38, leads the NFL with 16 touchdown passes this season but has operated behind a struggling offensive line with the league's 31st-ranked rushing attack. Opposing defenses have increasingly blitzed the veteran drop-back passer, disrupting an offense that lacks the mobility Mendoza could provide.
Mendoza, the team's top draft pick and last year's Heisman Trophy winner, made his debut on Oct. 11 against New England, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards. Cousins acknowledged the rookie's eventual ascension, saying, "If I'm not the best option, then I don't want to be out there either... The organization will do what they feel is best."
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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