Week 8 against the beatable New York Jets looked like the last chance for Kirk Cousins to prove that he should continue to start over rookie Fernando Mendoza. If the Las Vegas Raiders kept dropping games, even if Cousins was playing well, there would be no reason not to go with the young player.
But the Raiders got it done as a team, spurred by a second-half surge on both sides of the ball, to end their losing streak with a 38-33 road win. And Cousins was actually a big part of that win, contributing good numbers once again, but more critically, strong and clutch play.
Each week, when appropriate, we'll offer the "Mendoza Meter,” where we use a 1-10 scale to determine how close Mendoza is to starting. "1" says it's not happening anytime soon, while "10" means he very well might or should be starting next week.
The layers of consideration for where the "Mendoza Meter" should come in each week are fairly obvious. Wins and losses, Cousins' performance and Cousins' health are the most prominent considerations, and, as applicable, the next game for the Raiders can play a role in the final number.
After Week 7, as an accumulation of two games, really, the "Mendoza Meter" reached an all-time high of 9. After Week 8, we are all the way back down to a 4. Cousins turned the temperature all the way back down.
Fernando Mendoza Meter, Week 8: Kirk Cousins takes Raider Nation off the edge
Cousins started the game hot, going 4-for-5 with the completions split between Jalen Nailor and Brock Bowers, capped by a touchdown to the latter. A three-and-out and a turnover on downs and a Dylan Laube kickoff return touchdownlimited Cousins to just two more pass attempts in the first half.
But according to Pro Football Focus, he was 4-for-4 on throws 10-plus yards downfield for a total of 59 yards. That is a heck of a first two quarters for the veteran, especially considering how few opportunities he had.
The Raiders' offense has had trouble in the third quarter, but that was not the case on Sunday. Over two touchdown drives, which were carbon copies in terms of plays (10) and yardage (65), Cousins went 7-for-11 for 81 yards, with a touchdown and a 1-yard sneak for a touchdown to cap the second.
Las Vegas' run game was still not great against the Jets, averaging just three yards per carry on non-kneel downs or tush pushes, but Klint Kubiak stuck with it in a way he simply couldn't in previous games. And it was good enough for the offense to put up 31 points.
For his part, Cousins was an ideal mix of efficient (19-for-26 for 247 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions) and proficient (10-for-12 for 146 yards and two touchdowns on throws between 10 and 19 yards downfield, according to PFF).
The Raiders' schedule ratchets back up in difficulty in Week 9, with a visit to the San Francisco 49ers on the docket, so the "Mendoza Meter" would likely have dropped some this week anyway. But Cousins playing more like he did in the first four games of the season, and a win to put the losing streak to bed, knocks it all the way back down to 4.
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