Why Kirk Cousins Has Earned 'A Tremendous Amount of Respect' from Steve Spagnuolo

Steve Spagnuolo had nothing but praise for quarterback Kirk Cousins this week. So, how will the Chiefs try to stop Cousins and the Raiders' offense?

Sep 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) celebrates with Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) after a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Las Vegas Raiders' long-term future will largely be determined by a quarterback who the Kansas City Chiefs don't expect to see on Sunday afternoon. While rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza sits on the sidelines to begin his NFL career, veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins has led the Raiders to a 3-0 start in the first year of Vegas' rebuild.

Cousins, 38, has completed 62 of 92 passes for 661 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions in his first season with the Raiders, keeping the offense on track while Mendoza sits and learns.

Now in his 15th year in the league, Cousins is widely regarded as one of the league's smartest and most experienced quarterbacks. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was effusive in his praise when asked what kind of challenge Cousins will bring to Sunday's AFC West showdown.

"I've been down this road before," Spagnuolo began. "Kirk's one of these quarterbacks I've got a tremendous amount of respect for. He's been doing it for a long time. I think he's a quality guy; every time I see him, I tell him how much I respect his character. That part's great, but the part on the football field—he gets the ball out so quick that he makes it really difficult."

So, how can the Chiefs limit Cousins if they don't have time to pressure him late in the down?

"I think the knocking-down of passes will be really important," Spagnuolo continued. "The sticky coverage and making him throw it into tight windows will be really big. When we do that, we need a couple of knockdowns by a corner or a safety to get him in a longer down-and-distance or get us off the field. We'll have to mix it up, but I think you've just got to be a little bit careful with a guy that's as smart as Kirk is."

How can the Chiefs get to Kirk Cousins?

The Chiefs' pass rush hasn't recorded a sack in their last two games, despite the fact that Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis was sacked nine times in his first two games of 2026. Cousins has taken five sacks so far this season, but as Spagnuolo noted, Cousins gets rid of the ball quickly. So, how can the Chiefs impact him on Sunday?

This would be a great time for a dominant performance from defensive tackles Chris Jones and Peter Woods. While Spagnuolo's praises of Cousins ring true, he doesn't have the athleticism to escape interior pressure at this point in his career. He can still avoid pressure off the edges if he has a clean pocket to step into; if Jones and Woods can penetrate in passing situations, Cousins could run out of options quickly.

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