HENDERSON, Nev. — Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders in their Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, coach Klint Kubiak announced Wednesday.Cousins, 38, will start for his fourth franchise after staving off Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The four-time Pro Bowler signed with the Raiders as a free agent this offseason after spending the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.“He’s played really good football,” Kubiak said. “Kirk’s had a really good offseason, very good camp. He earned it.”The decision was expected because Cousins has taken first-team snaps ahead of Mendoza throughout training camp. Cousins was used sparingly during preseason games. After Cousins went 5-for-6 with a touchdown pass in the preseason opener, Kubiak said that QB1 was Cousins’ “job to lose.” But Kubiak waited to announce his starter, remaining keen on fostering competition among the quarterbacks until the very end.“I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job,” Kubiak said after the Raiders’ second preseason game. “It should always be that way from all positions. We’ll just keep going forward.”Raiders announce Kirk Cousins will start over Fernando MendozaSam WarrenCousins had some of the best seasons of his career while working with Kubiak in Minnesota. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019 with Kubiak as his quarterbacks coach, and another in 2021 with Kubiak as his offensive coordinator. Andrew Janocko, now the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, was Cousins’ quarterbacks coach under Kubiak during that 2021 season.