Will Fernando Mendoza Start For Raiders Against Jets This Week?

Fernando Mendoza's time as the Raiders starting quarterback hasn't arrived yet.

Will Fernando Mendoza Start For Raiders Against Jets This Week?

Fernando Mendoza (Image via IMAGO)

Fernando Mendoza has to wait a bit longer to start a game for the Las Vegas Raiders. Klint Kubiak is sticking with Kirk Cousins.

The Raiders started 3-0 with the Dolphins, Chargers, and Saints. Cousins started at quarterback in all of them. He threw 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.

The Kansas City Chiefs ended the Raiders’ winning streak with a three-point victory. In the following week, the Patriots dropped 45 points on the Raiders’ defense. Kubiak gave Mendoza his first proper league action in the fourth quarter. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards.

Losses to Buffalo and the Rams brought the Raiders’ record to three wins and four losses. Calls are mounting for Mendoza to start at quarterback. However, Kubiak still trusts the 38-year-old veteran signal caller. He said on Monday:

I [just] want to start by letting you guys know that Kirk [Cousins] is our starting quarterback; there is no controversy, he is playing at a very high level, and he’s got to continue to do that for us to win. We’ve got to keep helping all the areas around him. So excited for him to play here against the [New York] Jets.

Despite the losses, Cousins has played good football. He leads the league with 16 touchdowns and has thrown just 5 interceptions. Analysts are still raving about his 44-yard touchdown pass to Tre Tucker against Buffalo.

More importantly, the Raiders lost against good teams. KC won five straight games to start the season—the Patriots played in last year’s Super Bowl—the Bills are among the favorites to represent the AFC in the 2026-27 Super Bowl, and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning league MVP. Moreover, they came very close to beating both KC and the Bills, losing by three points. So, Cousins has played better than expected.

Cousins is 2-2 against the Jets.

RELATED
Charles Barkley Blames Troy Aikman For Dragging Joe Buck Into Mega ESPN Dispute

When will Fernando Mendoza start for the Raiders?

Kubiak made it clear early on that Mendoza needs time to learn his playbook. That’s partly the reason the Raiders signed Cousins.

Will Fernando Mendoza Start For Raiders Against Jets This Week? cousins kubiak
Kirk Cousins (Image via IMAGO)

Vegas faithful weren’t too happy when Kubiak picked Cousins to start in Week one, but they accepted it as the correct move. Rookie quarterbacks often struggle to adapt to the NFL’s speed and physicality. Cousins arrived in Sin City with plenty of games under his belt and prior experience working with Kubiak in Washington, so he’s familiar with the system.

Mendoza accepted his fate and has done a great job of learning from both Cousins and Kubiak. But his time under the spotlight hasn’t come yet. Kubiak said:

Eventually, Fernando is going to play football. We have a plan… It’s really important that we keep playing really well behind him and to continue to develop Fernando, but Fernando is going to play at some point but it’s not going to be this week.

Mendoza committed to play for the University of California (Berkley) Golden Bears. After three years, he transferred to Indiana to link up with his brother Roberto Mendoza.

The Hoosiers went unbeaten (16-0). In the College Football Playoff final, Indiana defeated the Miami Hurricanes to clinch a maiden national title. Mendoza completed 273 passes (72%) for 3535 yards, 41 touchdowns (most in FBS), and had a passer rating of 182.9 (most in FBS).

Mendoza made it to the final three for the prestigious Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best college football player. He received more votes than Jeremiyah Love (running back, Notre Dame) and Diego Pavia (quarterback, Vanderbilt), Indiana’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner.

Also Read: