THE GAME. THE STORIES. THE WHY.
Independent football coverage●Our standards
EXPLOREPower rankingsLeague leadersTeam statsInjuriesTransactionsShortsRivalriesRecordsTV scheduleBye weeksEVENTSSuper BowlPro BowlCombineDraftPlayoffsWeb StoriesALL FOOTBALL. ALL IN.
WEEK 6
Find your next read

Search whynfl

Go deeper on the game you love.

News

Kirk Cousins stays the Raiders starter for Bills week after Mendoza’s debut snap

2 min read Comments
Share ↗
WhatsApp Facebook X
Saved articles

Your reading list is saved on this browser.

Your reaction

Cousins has 1,269 yards, 12 touchdowns and a 100.7 rating through five games and remains listed ahead of Fernando Mendoza for Sunday's home game against Buffalo.

w.
WhyNFL Sports DeskPublished
Kirk Cousins in a 2014 archive photograph.
Kirk Cousins in 2014 (archive photo). Photo: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Kirk Cousins remains the Raiders’ listed starter for Sunday’s home game against Buffalo after Fernando Mendoza took one late drive in the 45-17 Week 5 loss at New England. Cousins has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,269 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions through five games, good for a 100.7 passer rating.

Klint Kubiak kept Cousins atop the unofficial depth chart released this week, with Mendoza — the No. 1 overall pick — listed second and Aidan O’Connell third. Mendoza finished 6 of 8 for 48 yards on his only series late in the Patriots game.

Video: Las Vegas Raiders — Klint Kubiak and Kirk Cousins press conference ahead of Week 6 vs. Buffalo (Oct. 14, 2026)

In Wednesday’s availability Cousins talked about locker-room accountability after the Patriots loss and the challenge of facing Josh Allen at Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas opened 3-0 before consecutive defeats to Kansas City and New England.

The Raiders (3-2) host the Bills (4-1) on Sunday, October 18, at 4:25 p.m. EDT (1:25 p.m. PT) on CBS.

The why matters.

See something that needs a second look? Read our corrections policy.

Join the conversation

Use a name or stay anonymous. No account or email required. Comments are reviewed before appearing.

Up to 3,000 characters

No published comments yet. Start the conversation.