Las Vegas Raiders fans are not ready to turn the page on Kirk Cousins just yet, even with the team sitting at 3-3 after another loss. But the noise around Fernando Mendoza is getting louder by the day.
An ongoing poll on the RaiderRamble.com X account had 64.7% of 309 voters saying they have not seen enough of Cousins at the time of publication. The other 35.3% said they have.
The poll is still open for six more days, so those numbers figure to keep moving as more fans weigh in. The question asked voters to factor in the team’s offensive line problems and lack of receiver talent.
The response helps explain why so many fans are still standing behind Cousins. In the replies, the defense took plenty of blame.
One follower pointed to a unit allowing 34 points a game. Another reminded everyone that the offense is averaging 27 points a game and said a quarterback with 14 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 100 passer rating through six weeks would have been a welcome sight before the season.
Others zeroed in on third-and-long issues, red-zone field goals, the defensive tackle room and a lack of second-half adjustments.
Not every call for change was really about Cousins, though. Some fans pushing for Mendoza said their issue is not with the veteran quarterback at all.
They just think the season is slipping and want to get the rookie real game reps now. A few floated timelines, with Week 12 and Week 16 mentioned as possible points to make the switch.
Others pushed back, saying Mendoza should not be thrown behind the current offensive line.
That is the dilemma sitting at the heart of the Raiders’ roster plans. Cousins is there as a bridge to Mendoza, but the team has to balance developing its quarterback of the future with the danger of exposing him to a line that is already struggling. Fans raised concerns about the defensive tackles, the guards and the receivers for a reason: those are the same pieces that make this decision so messy.
For now, the most likely path still looks straightforward. Cousins keeps the job, the defense absorbs most of the criticism, and the Mendoza chatter gets louder if the losses keep coming.
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