The Las Vegas Raiders, losers of four straight, rolled into MetLife Stadium and got back to their winning ways against the New York Jets. Besting last years win total (3) and getting win #4 on the year. All while scoring a season-high 38 points.
Kirk Cousins silenced all talks about a change at quarterback, continuing to show why he is the starter, as he threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. ‘Kirko Chainz’ outdueled former Raiders quarterback Geno Smith and got it done for the silver and black.
Finding tight end Brock Bowers for two touchdowns and welcomed wide receiver Jalen Nailor to the party.
To top it off, Cousins even broke out his own old man dance, “The Wellness Celebration.” A tribute to …the training staff that gets him ready to play every week. After successfully executing a goal-line quarterback sneak, Cousins broke out what looked like it was equal parts funky chicken, armpit farts and my shoulder hurts. But all is well that ends well; after a performance like that, he could have Texas two-stepped all over East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Switching things up
Third-round draft pick Trey Zuhn made his debut at right guard, playing well enough to earn another start. Zuhn was neither seen nor heard from, so much so that Cousins said he didn’t realize he was there. Displaying great footwork, surprising amounts of awareness, balance and strength. His versatility lent stability to a position which has been in flux as of late.
It appears that head coach Klint Kubiak has finally seen enough and recognizes the need for a change at running back. Ashton Jeanty was not his draft pick, and after six out of seven weeks of a lacking running game, he was ready to see something different. Mike Washington was a player he pounded the table for.
Washington may not have broken 100 yards on 25 carries or scored a rushing touchdown, but his impact was definitely profound. Kubiak stated that the decision to make the switch was his own. Jeanty will continue to have a big role in the running game moving forward despite having only two rushing attempts.
Running back by committee is a great idea as long as every role is filled correctly. Washington is the lead back and should be the bell cow receiving the majority of the carries. Jeanty has a much more well-rounded skill set; his pass-catching out of the backfield is putting up better receiving numbers than some of the marquee wide receiver #1s. Running back #3 is usually a special teamer; lo and behold, Dylan Laube was the first kick returner of 2026 to house a kickoff return.
