Kubiak Names Cousins Raiders Starter Against Jets

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Monday that Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback against the New York Jets in Week 8, ruling out a change to rookie Fernando Mendoza for this week’s game. Kubiak made the announcement at the start of his weekly news conference, a day after declining to commit to Cousins when asked whether the team might turn to Mendoza. Kubiak said there was no controversy over the role and described Cousins as playing at a high level. He said Mendoza would play at some point, but not this week. The decision comes after the Raiders lost four consecutive games, including a 35-21 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams that left them with a 3-4 record. Cousins completed 26 of 44 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns against Los Angeles. The Raiders fell behind 28-3 in the first half, with both touchdown passes coming later in the game. Cousins said after the loss that he wanted the team to use the quarterback it believed gave it the best chance to win. He also praised Mendoza’s future prospects and said he would continue trying to help the team while the rookie learned. Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, has not played in a regular-season game, according to the...