Kirk Cousins continues to hold onto the starting quarterback job in Las Vegas despite the Raiders’ ongoing four-game skid. After opening the season by making a statement with three straight wins, the Raiders have come crashing down to earth, losing their next four on the bounce to head into Week 8 with a 3-4 record.

With the Raiders needing to turn things around, beginning with Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, growing pressure could force the franchise to reconsider its quarterback situation. Some believe Las Vegas may have to give Fernando Mendoza an opportunity to start sooner rather than later.

Amid that noise, Derek Carr, who knows a thing or two about playing quarterback for the franchise, has a few things to say.

Derek Carr Explains Why Raiders Should Stick With Kirk Cousins over Fernando Mendoza

Cousins has hardly been responsible for the Raiders’ struggles during their disappointing stretch, as he has continued to deliver steely performances despite the limitations around him. He’s currently tied for the lead in the NFL with 16 touchdown passes while ranking third in passing yards with 1,877 and sixth in passing yards per game at 268.1.

Cousins also ranks 12th in passer rating with a 97.4 mark and has maintained his production against tough opponents. Despite losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, he surpassed 300 passing yards in both games.

Cousins’ consistent performances have earned him the No. 14 spot in the PFN QB Impact rankings with a 78.9 grade.

Seeing the way Cousins is playing, Carr believes the veteran should retain his starting job rather than give in to outside pressure to introduce Mendoza.

“I think you know how it goes, man,” Carr said in a recent episode of the “Da Get Got Pod”. “The media pressure when you’re starting to lose is like, when are we going to play him now?

“I would say Kirk is playing really well and he’s named the starting quarterback… He’s the leader. He’s the captain. Let him play. Let him be that.”

Meanwhile, Mendoza has heavy expectations to live up to after Las Vegas selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The former Indiana quarterback entered the league following a phenomenal college career that included a Heisman Trophy-winning, undefeated national championship season in 2025.

Mendoza made his NFL debut during the Raiders’ final possession against the New England Patriots, completing six of eight attempts for 48 yards. He faced huge pressure during his limited playing time, and the Patriots blitzed him on 22.2% of his dropbacks.

Mendoza’s limited appearance offered a glimpse of his abilities, but it was not enough for Carr to suggest that he was ready to take over the starting role.

“You’ve said from the beginning you want to give Fernando time, which I understand he’s in the RPO world,” Carr added. “He’s got a lot to learn. He’s shown flashes, but he’s also shown in that Patriot game. The more time that we can give him, the better he’s going to be.

“Kirk’s playing well. He’s your leader. If you’re in the hunt, you play Kirk. As soon as you’re out of the hunt and you’re like, ‘Hey, we need to think about the future.’ I can understand that. But until that time, I think Kirk’s the quarterback.”

Head coach Klint Kubiak said on Monday that there is no “quarterback controversy” in Las Vegas as Cousins remains the starter.

Kubiak already acknowledged that Mendoza will eventually get his opportunity, revealing that the team has a development plan for the No. 1 overall pick. However, the coaching staff has not established a specific timeline for when the former Hoosiers QB will take over.