Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins played in front of the home fans in Las Vegas for the first time in Thursday night’s preseason opener, and he said afterward that he wants to give that passionate fan base a reason to celebrate.
Cousins said he was noticing the Raiders fans, including some of the well-known fans from the Black Hole, and they inspired him.
“I tried to look down at the Black Hole every now and then,” Cousins said. “A couple of those iconic fans I’ve seen for years from a distance, it’s fun to be part of it now. Just taking it all in, it’s a great stadium, great environment. They’re dying to cheer for us. We’ve got to give them a reason to get out of our seats, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Cousins said he thought the Raiders’ offense operated on a high level during his one drive to start the game, which resulted in a touchdown pass.
“It felt smooth. I was proud of the offensive line, the communication, the receivers, we made a check at one point and everyone got the check and knew what they were supposed to do,” Cousins said. “Guys played hard, knew their assignments, made plays.”
Through six seasons in Las Vegas, the Raiders have only made the playoffs once and still haven’t played a home playoff game. Cousins is right that the Black Hole fans are desperate for a reason to cheer for the Raiders.
