Raiders’ Bold Play-Calling Unleashes Kirk Cousins vs. Chargers

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins , who has been the subject of thinkpieces about his arm strength all week, quieted some critics. The quarterback followed his coach's lead, rather than playing it safe against a rather porous Los Angeles Chargers defense.

Klint Kubiak could have played things very differently, settling for checkdowns and moving the ball downfield incrementally. Yet, in the aggressive play-calling, especially in the fourth quarter, the Raiders kept the action going. As a result, the hargers could not gain their footing and struggled to keep up. Cousins was honest when asked about the style change.

"I don't make those decisions. I have to be ready for the moment whenever that time calls for it. We did stay aggressive."

The Riders' starting quarterback and his head coach share a lengthy histor y. When Cousins excelled in Minnesota , Kubaika served as his offensive coordinator. Kubiak remains a devotee of the West Coast offense, with the zone bootleg system.

He wants Cousins to shift the pocket a bit, catching the defense in a metaphorical no man's land. Under those circumstances, utilizing play-action to reach the bootleg remains a major focus for the Raiders in the first two games. Furthermore, mixing in crossing routes downfield helps alleviate concerns about Cousins' perceived lack of arm strength.

The playful action, a staple all day, showed itself in the second half. The Raiders surprised the Chargers while holding a 17–14 lead with three minutes left in the second half, putting them well within field goal range. Cousins induced the defense to bite on a ball fake, which lured the safety downhill. Cody White slid free into the end zone on a third-and-five. In effect, if the Raiders kick a field goal there, the Chargers could still win with a touchdown. Kubiak had faith in Cousins to execute an almost flawless ball fake and identify White wide-open to secure the victory.

Now, no one will ever confuse Cousins' arm strength with Justin Herbert . However, throwing a quality deep ball is more than step and fire. Kubiak's scheme took advantage of Los Angeles 's lack of quality secondary play. In the first quarter, inside the Chargers' 50-yard line, Tre Tucker sprang loose, and Cousins connected on a 42-yard touchdown pass. The ball looked to have traveled 45 yards in the air. Nothing eye-popping, but the awareness of knowing your quarterback's strengths and weaknesses without ceding any of the three levels to the defense worked.

The Raiders ran 60 plays, with 29 coming through the air. The Chargers were pressuring Cousins' earl, hitting him from all angles. However, Kubiak helped slow their rush down with the short game. Getting the ball out fast negated the Los Angeles rush.

Furthermore, that extra bit of time helped Coisuins connect with eight different receivers. The lack of a conventional No. 1 wideout was another factor contributing to their success. Instead, Kubiak built the game plan around not just taking what's there, but making the Chargers pay for letting their eyes be tricked by play action.