The Raiders are off to a 3-0 start, and Sunday’s win over the Saints gave Las Vegas plenty to like on both sides of the ball. The offense still has its limitations, but Klint Kubiak’s system is already putting defenses in tough spots, and the defense is starting to look like a real strength.
Kubiak’s wide-zone, West Coast approach has given the Raiders a look that feels brand new. The way he mixes 12, 13, 21, and 22 personnel has created problems for opponents, especially when the play-action game gets rolling. With Ashton Jeanty and/or Mike Washington, fullback Connor Heyward, Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer working as true wideouts, and Tre Tucker stretching the field, the formation variety keeps forcing defenses into uncomfortable decisions.
That showed up in a number of snaps Sunday. Kubiak lined up one tight end off the line, Heyward in the backfield, and then either Mayer or Bowers split out wide in spread or condensed looks. Once the play-action pulled linebackers into the low hole, it opened space for Bowers to make plays downfield.
And Bowers made plenty of them. He finished with 10 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, and he looked like a weapon the Saints never really solved.
Kubiak even trusted him in isolated matchups against a Saints cornerback, and Bowers kept winning those reps. His versatility is obvious, and there’s even room to imagine him being used in the run game or on jet sweeps the way Georgia used him in Athens.
His blend of size, athleticism, route running, ball skills, and run-after-catch ability makes him a rare problem for defenses. That kind of impact at tight end hasn’t been seen since the early and prime days of Travis Kelce.
On defense, Malcolm Koonce had his most meaningful showing since coming back from a torn ACL in 2025. He posted three tackles, all of them run stops, plus a sack and three pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. More importantly, he was disruptive against the run, setting the edge with active hands, extension at the point of attack, and enough force to shut down off-tackle and inside zone looks.
When Koonce turns speed into power, he can overwhelm tackles with a shoulder dip into the chest and drive them backward. He also flashed a full toolkit as a pass rusher, using a cross-chop, long-arm, and hand swipes. With him opposite Maxx Crosby, the Raiders suddenly have two edge defenders who can change a game.
That front is part of why Rob Leonard is drawing attention. The first-year defensive coordinator has been aggressive and varied with his coverage calls, including the second-highest rate of Cover 0 in the NFL, according to Football Insights. His fronts and shell rotations keep offenses guessing, and his defense has shown discipline when it matters most.
Leonard may not be the Cover 6 specialist Mike Macdonald is in Seattle, but he’s clearly one of the brighter young defensive minds around. Between the secondary, the edge rushers, the linebacker group, and a young back end that keeps making plays, Las Vegas has real pieces carrying it into Week 4 without a loss.
In Other News...
Raiders Just Sent A Clear Message With This Receiver Decision
The Raiders kept busy with their receiver room this week, and the moves say a lot about how quickly this front office is willing to adjust. Las Vegas signed Cody White to the 53-man roster, placed Jack Bech on injured reserve, waived Justin Shorter and added Phillip Dorsett to the practice squad, a set of transactions that reflects how fluid the depth chart has become.
Whites promotion stands out because he has been the teams most productive wideout this season, scoring three touchdowns after arriving from the Seahawks practice squad. General manager John Spytek has made it clear the Raiders are not interested in standing still when a need opens up, and this latest shuffle leaves the receiver group with a new look while the bigger question is how the team plans to keep the position stabilized moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Got A Reminder Of Where They Stand With CBS
CBSs Sunday afternoon assignment sent a clear message about which game the network believed carried the bigger draw in the late window. Instead of sending Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt to Broncos-49ers, CBS paired its top team with Raiders-Chiefs, a matchup that carried more star power and a more familiar national storyline in the 4:25 p.m. ET slot.
The choice quickly drew pushback from fans who felt the Broncos and 49ers had the more meaningful game on the board. It also served as another reminder that Tony Romo remains away from broadcasting duties, leaving CBS to lean on its alternate lineup while its highest-profile booth continues to anchor the games the network deems most appealing. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A Receiver Opportunity Worth Watching
The Raiders 3-0 start has been built on complementary football, but the passing game still has room to grow, especially on the perimeter. Through the early part of the 2026 season, Las Vegas has not gotten much from its wide receiver group, which makes any potential upgrade at the position worth monitoring as the calendar moves deeper into the fall.
One name now surfacing in that discussion is Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jaguars, whose usage and production have dipped enough to spark trade speculation. The idea is simple enough from the Raiders side: if a talented receiver becomes available and the fit makes sense, Las Vegas could be in the market for help, even if the door on a deal is only just beginning to crack open. [Read more 🡒]