Kirk Cousins — Week 3: Three Touchdowns, No Interceptions
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Cousins completed 22 of 33 throws for 248 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, and took three sacks. His third-down throws went 6 for 9 with all six completions converted, five of them to Brock Bowers, and his last two touchdowns, to Cody White and Bowers, turned a 27–22 deficit into the final margin of a 35–27 win over the Saints.
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27 to 22, Saints, nine 27 left in the fourth quarter, second and four at the New Orleans four. Kirk Cousins threw short left to Cody White for the touchdown that put Las Vegas ahead for good. +1.5 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 6.8 points of win probability, the change in the chance of winning from before the play to after it. The two-point try ended in a sack, so it was 28 to 27. Less than three minutes later, after an interception return put the Raiders at the Saints four, he found Brock Bowers on third and four for the last touchdown of the day. The Saints had led 27 to 16 in the third quarter; Las Vegas scored the last 19 points.
The line: 22 of 33 for 248 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, three sacks, +10.9 expected points on 36 pass plays, sacks included. The touchdowns went three yards to Michael Mayer in the second quarter, then four to White and four to Bowers. 15 of 22 for a hundred 69 yards before halftime, seven of 11 for 79 after. Third down carried the day: 11 pass plays, nine throws, six completions, and all six moved the chains, five of them to Bowers. Only two throws traveled 20 or more yards in the air, and one was caught — Bowers's 20 on third and four in the third quarter, down 11. The worst stretch came late in the third, down 27 to 22: first and 10 at his own 10, three straight incompletions, and a punt. The last sack, on third and five with a minute 48 left, knocked the ball loose and Connor Heyward recovered it. One scramble for five yards, and two kneel-downs to finish.
13 of the 30 throws that had a receiver went to Bowers in his first game of the season, four to Tre Tucker, three each to Jalen Nailor, White, Ashton Jeanty and Mayer, and one other. 36 pass plays against 24 designed runs.
Back in June the preview made no call on Cousins: an aging pocket passer on a one-year bridge deal in front of the first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, with the open question of whether he would hold the job into midseason. Week 1 was three touchdowns and two interceptions; Week 2 three and one. Sunday was three and none, his first game of the season without an interception. Three games, nine touchdown passes, three interceptions, three wins. Mendoza does not appear in the play-by-play. Three games do not change what the contract is; they do make the job look settled for now. Las Vegas is home to the Chiefs on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Kirk Cousins's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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