Raiders Keep Cousins at QB for Jets Game

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Monday that Kirk Cousins will remain the starting quarterback for the team’s Week 8 game against the New York Jets, despite the Raiders’ fourth consecutive loss. Kubiak said rookie Fernando Mendoza would play at some point, but not this week, and gave no timeline for his first further opportunity. The decision followed Sunday’s 35-21 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. After that game, Kubiak said the team needed to review its personnel, scheme and problems in the red zone and third quarter. On Monday, he said Cousins was playing at a high level and that the team was focused on winning its next game while continuing to develop Mendoza. Cousins completed 26 of 44 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. Las Vegas converted three of 14 third-down attempts and scored a touchdown on one of five red-zone trips. The loss left the Raiders 3-4 after opening the season with three straight wins. Through seven games, Cousins had thrown for 1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Kubiak’s assessment of the veteran’s play was his stated reason for retaining him as starter this week; the statistics are season totals, not...