Klint Kubiak: Raiders QB1 is Kirk Cousins’ job to lose

Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins completed five of his six passes and threw for a touchdown in the preseason opener on Thursday night, and afterward head coach Klint Kubiak indicated that he expects Cousins to start in Week One.

Kubiak did not officially declare Cousins the starter, but he pointed out that Cousins has been working as the starting quarterback and hasn’t done anything to lose that job.

“Kirk’s been getting the reps with the ones. I think he’s had a solid training camp and it’s his job to lose,” Kubiak said.

First overall pick Fernando Mendoza also threw a touchdown pass while completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards, but he had some bad plays, including a sack he shouldn’t have taken, and Kubiak said Mendoza still has work to do.

“He led a good scoring drive,” Kubiak said of Mendoza. “As far as getting and out of the huddle, commanding the group, getting the play calls down, I saw the same guy I see in practice. I saw an ascending player who’s got to keep getting better.”

In the long run, the Raiders think Mendoza is going to be their franchise quarterback for years to come. But probably not on September 13, when the Dolphins are in Las Vegas for the regular-season opener. It’s Cousins’ job.