Who saw Kirk Cousins opening the 2026 season with nine touchdown passes in his first three games as the Las Vegas Raiders’ starting quarterback? If you did, keep it to yourself.
Cousins has been one of the league’s early surprises, and not in the modest, nice-story kind of way. The 38-year-old has come out firing, and through three games his nine touchdown throws are tied with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for the NFL lead. For a team that drafted Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall in April, that’s a pretty wild twist.
The expectation around Cousins was simple enough: he’d be the bridge. A veteran who knew Klint Kubiak’s system, could run the offense, and would hold down the job until Mendoza was ready.
Instead, he’s given Las Vegas something far more interesting. Cousins became the first player in NFL history to throw at least three touchdown passes in each of his first three games with a new team.
He also joined Tom Brady, a former quarterback and current Raiders minority owner, as the only players 38 or older to throw nine touchdown passes through their team’s first three games. Brady did it in 2015 and 2021, when Cousins was 27 and 33.
The production hasn’t stopped at the scoring throws, either. Cousins has 661 passing yards, ranks 15th among league quarterbacks, and is completing 67.4% of his passes, which places him 16th. He’s also taken five sacks, including three in Sunday’s 35-27 comeback win over the New Orleans Saints, a performance that speaks well of veteran offensive line coach Rick Dennison.
The bigger picture is even more striking. Las Vegas is 3-0, a start that has topped plenty of expectations, and Cousins is a huge reason why.
The 2012 fourth-round pick out of Michigan State has brought a swagger to the job, oozing machismo in that Razor Ramon/Scott Hall way from the old WWF days. That’s been a major boost for Kubiak’s offense and for Mendoza’s development timeline.
The talk has shifted fast, from wondering when Cousins would step aside to wondering whether Mendoza will even see the field this season.
Of course, nothing in the NFL stays neat for long. Injury is always part of the equation, especially for a 15-year veteran playing in a league built on speed and violence. If Cousins gets hurt, Mendoza could be the next man up.
Right now, though, Kubiak’s system is doing a good job protecting its quarterback. Cousins has been able to move through his reads quickly and get the ball out on time. When he has needed more time, the protection has generally held up long enough for him to finish the job.
Still, the tape is out there now. Opponents have three games of Cousins and this offense to study, and the challenge gets tougher from here. The Saints offered a preview of that Sunday, when Brandon Staley’s defense got enough pressure and coverage on the back end to make Cousins hold the ball and take some punishment.
That brings the Raiders to a major AFC West test in Week 4, when the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs come to town. It’s a matchup that adds another layer of surprise: both teams enter without a loss. And on the other sideline will be Steve Spagnuolo, whose defense is known for aggressive, complex and devious pressure packages.
For Las Vegas, the formula has to be balanced. The run game has to matter, and the passing game has to stay efficient. Starting running back Ashton Jeanty has not looked right over the last two games, but rookie tailback Mike Washington Jr. has helped keep things moving with his size and speed.
Brock Bowers’ return to the starting lineup has been another major lift. As Maxx Crosby said, Bowers is always open, and he backed that up with 10 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in his season debut against the Saints.
Even though he’s listed as a tight end, Kubiak has used Bowers like a true No. 1 receiver. The 23-year-old, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 235 pounds, was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 draft. Kubiak lines him up in spots usually reserved for wideouts, which is why there’s been so much attention on the Raiders’ decision to pay Jalen Nailor three years and $35 million in free agency this offseason, and why Bowers is tight end in name only.
All of that sets up the Week 4 chess match between Kubiak’s offense and Spagnuolo’s defense. And right in the middle of it will be Captain Kirk.
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