Naysay all folks need, however the truth that the Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0 to begin the 2026 marketing campaign underneath rookie head coach Klint Kubiak is spectacular.
This variant of the Silver & Black appears totally different than prior incarnations with Kubiak and Co.. I’ve stated this to our Matt Holder: Knowledgeable soccer workforce. I do know, that sounds asinine as Las Vegas is certainly one of many 32 groups within the NFL and “skilled” is the established order of the league. However for a lot too lengthy, the Raiders have been cellar dwellers as a moribund franchise.
However groups play the opponents in entrance of them and Las Vegas stacked two victories up to now. And there’s an excellent take a look at on the Raiders’ plate with the Week 3 highway journey to face the New Orleans Saints.
Just like the Silver & Black, the Black & Gold engaged in a franchise course correction hiring a hotshot offensive-minded head coach Kellen Moore in February of 2025 to helm the workforce. Equally to Kubiak, Moore is younger (he’s 38 whereas Kubiak is 39) and brings a wealth of play-calling expertise to the desk. Each younger leaders are instilling new cultures of their respective locations and regardless of being 1-1 within the standings, the Saints simply might be unbeaten similar to the Raiders.
New Orleans boasts expertise in all three phases — offense, protection, and particular groups (together with a really acquainted face to Las Vegas) — and current fairly the problem for the visiting Raiders.
Moore Is Required
Elite edge rusher Maxx Crosby is eager to say and submit on social media “Extra is required.” That’s positively an apt mentality heading into this matchup with the Saints.
Moore’s offense is seventh general within the league averaging 383.5 yards and 27.0 factors per recreation. The aerial assault led by quarterback Tyler Shough is second general with 305.5 passing yards per recreation. And the second-year quarterback is the league chief with 662 passing yards heading into Week 3 motion.
Shough’s main goal — large receiver Chris Olave — is off to an explosive begin with 18 receptions for 268 yards and a landing. His 13 catches for first downs leads the NFL and he comes into this matchup with the Raiders off an eight-catch, 86-yard, and one-touchdown outing in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens within the Saints’ Week 2 24-17 win. Fellow wideout Devaughn Vele and tight finish Juwan Johnson spherical out the highest three move catchers for Shough with 12 receptions for 133 yards and a landing and 7 catches for 120 yards and a rating, respectively.
Crosby and the secondary have performed effectively for Las Vegas within the first two matchups of the season and the battle with Moore’s offense will rigorously take a look at the Raiders’ potential this Sunday. The move rush and protection have to b e on level to fight the productive passing recreation as Moore likes to assault all around the discipline to actually stress the opposition.
And regardless that New Orleans has the twenty eighth ranked floor recreation — 78 yards per recreation common so far — working backs Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara are succesful ball carriers and move catchers.
Younger & The Stressed
Kubiak made it clear after the Raiders’ Week 2 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers: Quarterback Kirk Cousins was hit approach an excessive amount of for his liking.
And there’s a excessive chance the Saints matchup is usually a repeat of what displeased Cousins.
Brandon Staley’s protection did an incredible job containing and limiting the Ravens offense final week (233 passing yards and 65 dashing yards yielded) and the attacking model New Orleans deploys could be fairly the predicament for a pure pocket passer like Cousins if the Raiders offensive line isn’t on level.
Maintaining Cousins upright in opposition to edge rushers Chase Younger (workforce main 1.5 sacks alongside three quarterback hits) and Carl Granderson (one sack), and linebacker Pete Werner (workforce main 18 tackles with 1 sack) is a sound problem for Kubiak and offensive line coach Rick Dennison. Veteran linebacker Kaden Elliss paces the Saints with 5 quarterback hits and has 15 whole tackles.
The Saints secondary options younger expertise with a veteran security Julian Blackmon (who sealed the win in opposition to Baltimore with an interception) creating an identical entrance finish/again finish functionality the Rob Leonard’s Raiders protection has proven on the younger season.
Head-to-Head
Sunday’s contest marks the seventeenth between the Raiders and Saints and the Silver & Black leads the general collection 8-7-1. All video games are common season matchups as the 2 squads haven’t met in postseason play. Las Vegas received the final assembly between the 2 groups in New Orleans 25-10 again in December of 2024. Earlier than that, the Saints received handily 24-0 again in 2022. The Raiders have been victorious within the pair of conferences earlier than that in 2016 and 2020, nonetheless.
Quotes of Be aware
“It’s been an enormous half to the primary a part of the season, these victories, these workforce victories. Like I stated, they’ve the eye of the opposite facet of the ball. We simply received to maintain working to get higher, and each week is an entire new recreation.”
—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak on how important the workforce’s move rush is regardless of not having to blitz a lot
“I simply assume it’s essential that we come again in each day, each week, whatever the final result win, loss, tie – the identical individual, similar locker room. I believe you simply should have your course of, your approach of preparing for Sunday. That’s received to be constant. You bought to belief that routine, that rhythm, and never enable an final result from a day earlier than to immediately change that. I believe when you try this, you’re greedy on the win.”
—Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins on if he’s observed a distinction within the locker room from the beginning of the season to a 2-0 document
