The 38-year-old Las Vegas Raiders quarterback is looking to keep it going this week at New England against a Patriots defense that is suddenly having trouble keeping its secondary healthy.
asserted
that → look → secondary
Despite his first loss of the season last week against Kansas City, Cousins is up to 11 touchdown passes — the fastest he has reached that total through four games in his 15-year career.
asserted
he → reach → career
It has helped quiet the chatter about him being simply a bridge quarterback to Fernando Mendoza, who Las Vegas took No. 1 overall in April.
asserted
Vegas → help → April
Cousins said he’s just enjoying seeing the resilience of the entire team in Klint Kubiak’s first season, a group Cousins said is confirming what he observed from them going back to spring workouts.
asserted
them → say → workouts
“These guys, they want to do it the right way.
asserted
they → want → it
Football means something to them,” Cousins said.
asserted
Cousins → mean → them
“They’re hardworking, listen well, and it makes it a joy to be the quarterback for a group of guys like that.
asserted
it → ’re → that
But yo’veu got to go prove it again every week.”
asserted
yo’veu → get → it
That next challenge is a Patriots team whose win at Buffalo last week helped the defending AFC champions avoid a 1-3 start.
asserted
champions → help → start
That victory not only saw quarterback Drake Maye break out of an early season funk with three touchdowns, but a defense playing without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder) was able to slow quarterback Josh Allen enough to best their division rival.
asserted
defense → see → rival
Gonzalez sat out this week’s first two practices, putting his availability in question for the second straight game.
asserted
Gonzalez → sit → game
Fellow starting cornerback Carlton Davis (neck) also missed the first two practices, along with rookie Karon Prunty (hamstring).
asserted
Davis → miss → Prunty
Other cornerbacks that were limited in practice to begin the week were Charles Woods (shoulder) and rookie Channing Canada (hamstring).
asserted
that → limit → week
Whoever is available Sunday, Maye said carrying as much of the momentum they can from last week is the goal.
asserted
they → say → week
“You would like to say everybody — especially on offense — you’d like to say that the first three weeks weren’t what we wanted to put out there,” Maye said.
asserted
Maye → like → what
“You have to try to build off last week, knowing that it’s not just going to do it for you.
asserted
it → have → you
You have to put the work in and the focus, and hopefully continue to catch a trend and catch a stride.
asserted
You → have → stride
Last week: Raiders lost to Chiefs 30-27; Patriots beat Bills 29-26.
asserted
Patriots → lose → Bills
Last meeting: Raiders beat Patriots 20-13 on Sept. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass.
Series record: Patriots lead 20-18-1.
asserted
Patriots → beat → Foxborough
Las Vegas has been susceptible to giving up big plays this season.
asserted
Vegas → give → plays
Once inside the 20, opponents have feasted, scoring touchdowns on 10 of 13 (76.9%) of their trips.
asserted
opponents → feast → trips
But the Patriots have struggled in the red zone through four games, scoring on just four of nine (44.4%) of their opportunities.
asserted
Patriots → struggle → opportunities
Stats and stuff
— Las Vegas and Detroit are the only teams that have scored 25 or more points in each game this season.
asserted
that → score → game
It’s the second time in franchise history the Raiders have accomplished that in their first four games of a season.
asserted
Raiders → ’ → season
The 2002 team was the other one to do it.
asserted
team → do → it
— The Raiders lead the NFL with nine takeaways, one more than four other teams.
asserted
Raiders → lead → teams
That total is tied for sixth in franchise history with the 1972 team for the most through four games in a season.
asserted
total → tie → season
— Las Vegas has 12 sacks and allowed five, and the Raiders’ seven-sack differential is tied with the Lions for the league’s best.
asserted
differential → have → league
— The Raiders’ Dylan Laube leads the NFL with a 33.4-yard kickoff return average.
asserted
Laube → lead → average
— The Patriots, including the playoffs, have won nine of their past 10 home games, including a 20-3 win over Pittsburgh in Week 2.
asserted
Patriots → include → Week
— New England is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Las Vegas, having lost to the Raiders in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
asserted
England → look → 2022
— Maye’s seven interceptions are one shy of the eight he threw during all of last regular season.
asserted
he → throw → season
_
AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed.
asserted
Anderson → contribute → Vegas
The Aporia
