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Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak shuts down quarterback controversy

Kirk Cousins will remain the starter for Week 8

By: Alex Eschelman

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HENDERSON (KTNV) — Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak made it clear on Monday that Kirk Cousins will remain the starter for Week 8 against the New York Jets.

"Kirk is our starting quarterback. There is no controversy," Kubiak said. "He's playing at a very high level. He's got to continue to do that for us to win, and we have to keep helping all of the areas around him."

After the Raiders' fourth straight loss on Sunday, Kubiak said he is evaluating everything right now, which sparked a national narrative about whether or not the team will begin preparing for the future and start Fernando Mendoza.

Meanwhile, Cousins is playing some of the best football of his career — leading the league in passing touchdowns with 16 and sitting top three in passing yards. Kubiak says they need to quickly fix the run game — or lack thereof — and their inability to stop the run.

"When you are down multiple scores, it is not a running game," Kubiak said. "We've been giving up way too many points right now to put ourselves in position to be balanced in the fourth quarter, be balanced in the third quarter, so I like the strides our guys are taking in practice. I've seen it in the game; I've seen how our runners are breaking tackles."

The 304 Raiders' defense gave up 199 yards on the ground to the Los Angeles Rams, and the offense carried the ball 17 times for just 48 yards. This is the fifth-straight game where the Raiders' defense has given up at least 27 points and the sixth giving up more than 100 yards on the ground.

The future is important to plan for, but Kubiak says the Silver & Black are still prioritizing winning the next game on the road against the Jets.

"Kirk is playing really well, and we're in the hunt," Kubiak said. "It's really important that they keep playing really well behind them and continue to develop Fernando. Fernando is going to play, but at some point — it's not going to be this week."

Wide receiver Jack Bech is expected to practice this week.