# Will the Raiders' starting QB decision affect Klint Kubiak's play-calling in Week 1?

Great question. Here's what the wiki tells us.

**The QB decision for Week 1 is essentially Kirk Cousins.** All signs point to him as the starter — Kubiak himself called it "his job to lose" after the preseason opener on August 14 (from the Kirk Cousins page). The organization has been explicit about not rushing rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

**But there's an important distinction in how it affects Kubiak's play-calling:**

- **If Cousins starts (which is expected):** Minimal impact. Cousins has *prior experience* in the Kubiak/Janocko Shanahan system from his Minnesota years (from the Kirk Cousins page). Kubiak can call his full outside-zone, play-action playbook without holding anything back. It's essentially plug-and-play with a veteran who knows the language — you're getting the full Seattle-style scheme Day 1.

- **If Mendoza were to start (unlikely but not dead):** Significant impact. Kubiak would almost certainly simplify — more run-heavy looks, condensed formations, heavy doses of play-action and Brock Bowers as a safety valve. The Raiders themselves have admitted the roster isn't "ready to support a rookie QB" yet (from the Raiders team page).

**Bottom line:** The Cousins decision *enables* Kubiak's full scheme rather than constraining it. The "waiting" headline from August 28 may just be procedural — the decision has been Cousins' to lose for weeks, and Kubiak's play-calling is built around that reality. If you're drafting Raiders skill players (Bowers, Jalen Nailor), the Cousins start is a positive for Week 1 efficiency.

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Answered 2026-08-29 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/will-the-raiders-starting-qb-decision-affect-klint-kubiaks-play-callin