Raiders HC Klint Kubiak Appears To Reveal Who His Week 1 Starting QB Will Be After Dropping Harsh Truth Bomb On Fernando Mendoza [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The Raiders wrapped up their preseason Thursday night with an 18-12 loss to the 49ers. Head coach Klint Kubiak still wouldn’t name a starting quarterback afterward.
“I still don’t think we need to name anybody,” Kubiak said, according to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden. “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.”
That answer didn’t remain as vague once reporters pressed further.
Kubiak Made Clear Mendoza Still Needs More Time
Asked directly about Mendoza’s development, Kubiak didn’t hold back. He said the No. 1 overall pick could use three more preseason games, a notable admission given the NFL only allows three total.
Mendoza struggled again Thursday, completing 7 of 14 passes for just 57 yards with an interception and a passer rating of 31. San Francisco sacked him twice and pressured him six times.
Cousins, by comparison, closed out the preseason with a 110.2 passer rating across his three appearances, the best mark by any Raiders quarterback since 2017 among players with at least 17 attempts.
He completed 8 of 11 passes for 51 yards on Thursday before exiting after the first quarter.
NFL Network‘s Mike Garafolo noted that everything Kubiak has said for months has continued pointing toward Cousins as Las Vegas’ Week 1 starter against Miami on Sept. 13.
Kubiak Has Stuck To A Consistent Message All Camp
Kubiak’s reluctance to name a starter has followed a clear pattern since training camp opened.
He’s repeatedly said he doesn’t want any player feeling too comfortable in his role, telling reporters last week, “I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job. It should always be that way for all positions.”
That approach hasn’t stopped Cousins from taking the bulk of first-team reps throughout the summer.
Mendoza arrived in Las Vegas after a historic final college season, throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns while leading Indiana to a perfect 16-0 record and the Heisman Trophy.
Translating that success to the NFL has proven tougher, and Kubiak has continued praising Mendoza’s growth in general terms while stopping short of suggesting he’s ready to start.
Kubiak could announce his official Week 1 decision as soon as Friday, though few around the team expect the news to be a surprise.
