The Las Vegas Raiders left Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season with a win over the Miami Dolphins, and all of the good feelings that accompany such a thing. But they're also heading into Week 2 with a not-insignificant list of concerns ahead of a matchup with a much better foe in the Los Angeles Chargers.
Las Vegas' secondary had some leakages, the wide receiver production wasn't ideal, and chiefly, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins didn't inspire confidence with his downfield throwing ability. The latter is actually of grave concern going forward, as the Raiders' offense could end up being limited.
But Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett proved in his team's opening-weekend win vs. the Chargers that it may not be quite as tough to have success pushing the ball upfield against the Los Angeles defense. There is at least hope that Cousins can replicate in Week 2 what Brissett did last Sunday.
Raiders need Kirk Cousins to have Jacoby Brissett-level success against Chargers
As Raider Nation is well aware, Cousins' splits against Miami while throwing over and under 10 yards were staggering. On throws under 10 yards, Cousins was 20-for-22 with 139 yards and three scores. On throws of more than 10 yards, Cousins went just 1-for-7 with 21 yards and two interceptions.
Against Los Angeles, though, Brissett had tons of success both in the short and intermediate areas of the field, as well as beyond that pesky 10-yard mark. On throws under 10 yards, Brissett was 20-for-24 for 147 yards and a touchdown. On throws over 10 yards, he went 7-for-11 for 130 yards.
It seems like the Chargers' defense, now led by Chris O'Leary following the departure of Jesse Minter, could have taken a step back this offseason. At the very least, they were prone to giving up big plays in the opener, as Brissett, a below-average quarterback, effectively lit them up in the matchup.
With starting free safety Elijah Molden possibly out this Sunday, seeing as he hasn't practiced yet this week with a hamstring injury, the back half of Los Angeles' defense could be even more porous. That is a favorable recipe for Cousins and the Raiders' offense to have success beyond 10 yards.
And perhaps the Chargers' issues were merely the product of early miscommunications in a new system. It was Week 1, to be fair. Or maybe O'Leary's group isn't nearly as formidable as most think. Brissett, after all, isn't known to be a gunslinger.
Las Vegas' Kirk Cousins has hope to replicate Jacoby Brissett's showing vs. Chargers
To understand why Cousins could have success, it is important to understand who Brissett is. Last year, Brissett completed just 38.3% of his passes over 20 yards and 58.2% of his throws between 10 and 19 yards. Cousins, by contrast, completed 28.1% and 48.1%. Worse, but not that much worse.
And for what it's worth, Pro Football Focus had Cousins with a higher rate of big-time throws in those ranges, which means that he was fitting more passes into tight windows. On Sunday, Brissett didn't even have to do that, though, with just one of his seven completions in that range being "big-time."
That paints a picture of the Chargers leaving large holes in their secondary to complete passes into, which Cousins, even with his dwindling arm strength, should be able to accomplish. After all, he made way more big-time throws and took care of the ball in that range more than Brissett did last year.
None of this is a perfect 1:1 comparison, but the bottom line is this: Brissett had success throwing it downfield vs. the Chargers, so there is hope that Cousins can do the same because Brissett wasn't being asked to throw into tight windows, and he and Cousins are comparable throwers in that range.
If Cousins can't get it done, more questions will be asked about his ability to run this offense. Because while Brissett is a respected veteran, he's not exactly a guy you want outperforming your starting quarterback, especially when you have the No. 1 pick waiting in the wings.
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