A 3-0 start was always going to be hard for the Las Vegas Raiders to sustain through a tough run of games on the 2026 schedule. But Sunday's 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers was the third of their last four losses to be by at least 14 points. Perhaps it is time to make a significant change.
We've now made it to the ninth edition of the "Mendoza Meter," where we use a 1-10 scale to determine how close rookie signal-caller Fernando Mendoza is to making his first career start. "1" means it's not anywhere close to happening, while a "10" says he should probably start next week.
There are obvious factors that drive the "Mendoza Meter." The play of Kirk Cousins is, of course, a big and central one, while wins and losses on a weekly basis, as well as team performance, and Cousins' health play equal roles.
A couple of weeks ago, following a bad loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the "Mendoza Meter" reached an all-time high of 9. Then, Cousins turned the temperature way down in Week 8, as the Raiders snapped their losing streak against the New York Jets.
But after Las Vegas' fifth loss in six games, the "Mendoza Meter" ratchets all the way up to 10 after Week 9. It is time for the Raiders to hand the reins to the young gun.
Fernando Mendoza Meter: The Kirk Cousins Era in Las Vegas must be over
Once again, an awful performance by the Raiders' defense put Cousins and the offense in a reeling position from the start on Sunday. A three-and-out on the first drive and a 14-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter only made it worse.
Not that the run game offered any semblance of credible balance, once again. But after the score was 28-10 in the 49ers' favor, following a horrible pick-six to start the second half by Cousins, he went 16-for-24 for 168 yards with a touchdown and two more interceptions.
Obviously, the defense did the Raiders' offense no favors to create a negative game script from the word go, and fumbles by Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer weren't his fault amid five second half turnovers. But Cousins couldn't even pad his numbers in garbage time the way he has previously.
It was a little surprising that Mendoza didn't see action late in Sunday's game.
Cousins' last interception was a "nothing left to lose" fourth-down arm punt, but the throw falling so short of an open Tre Tucker was a microcosm of the second half for the offense. And, possibly, a fitting end to Cousins' run as the Raiders starting quarterback.
Head coach Klint Kubiak can no longer try to say, or use the box score to say, Cousins is playing well.
Week 10 against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks would seem to not be a great time to make the change to Mendoza. But on Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that quarterback Sam Darnold may miss a second straight game with a cracked rib and a quad injury.
So, Drew Lock would be in line to make another start, and Seattle's winning formula isn't driven by the quarterback anyway.
Lock is already dealing with tendinitis in his throwing elbow. After Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, head coach Mike Macdonald said Lock added an oblique injury, and his availability for next week is in question.
If Darnold isn't available and Lock can't go next week, second-year man Jalen Milroe would make his first career start.
A home game. Facing a team who may be starting their No. 2, or their No. 3, quarterback. That sounds like an ideal time to start the Mendoza Era, and that's the potential scenario for the Raiders next Sunday.
So with that, we turn the "Mendoza Meter" all the way up to 10, looking toward Week 10. Your move, Coach Kubiak.
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