Oct 27, 2026 · 1h 32m
Raiders weigh quarterback patience against urgent roster fixes
Raiders Still In The Hunt
The Raiders must stabilize a season-threatening matchup while deciding whether Kirk Cousins’ production justifies waiting on Fernando Mendoza.
- 1Kirk Cousins remains the starter despite pressure to accelerate Fernando Mendoza’s development after another Raiders loss.
- 2The Raiders’ clearest structural problems are a stagnant running game and a defensive front that struggles to stop the run.
- 3Roster changes, playoff races, injuries, trades, and betting markets frame the urgency surrounding the Raiders-Jets matchup.
Don't miss
The panel weighs whether a fifth consecutive loss should force the Raiders to replace productive starter Kirk Cousins with Fernando Mendoza.
The brief
JT opens with the Raiders’ urgent matchup against the Jets, where Geno Smith, Breece Hall, and a struggling Las Vegas run defense make season stabilization the central question.
The quarterback debate turns on a contradiction: Kirk Cousins is producing at a high level, yet the Raiders are still considering when Fernando Mendoza should take over.
Levi Edwards and JT argue that the Raiders need simpler, better-blocked rushing concepts and more run-stopping power rather than relying mainly on pass-rushing defensive tackles.
Jonah Laulu’s release and Dante Thornton Jr.’s activation show the roster changing around the same unresolved problems, with Thornton offering immediate red-zone potential.
Across the wider NFL, analysts assess injuries, playoff races, trade possibilities, and betting markets before returning to the Raiders’ narrow margin against New York.
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