The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t just get to 3-0 on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints - they turned the game into a roller coaster, and Raider Nation rode every twist.
The opening stretch gave an early hint at how involved Brock Bowers was going to be. Head coach Klint Kubiak wasted no time moving him around, splitting him out wide on the first play from scrimmage and watching Kirk Cousins hit the tight end on an eight-yard out route. Bowers was a constant target on the opening drive, finishing it with three catches for 37 yards.
New Orleans answered with a long, 13-play march that covered 79 yards and ended with a two-yard touchdown catch by Juwan Johnson. Even in the moment, the concern from fans was clear: the Saints were getting too much of a push up front.
The Raiders got a break on the next key sequence when New Orleans committed two third-down penalties and kept Las Vegas’ drive alive. Cousins made the most of the extra snaps, firing a three-yard touchdown to Michael Mayer and pushing the Raiders in front 13-6 with just under six minutes left in the first half.
The Saints responded again, but Cousins stayed steady and guided another composed drive that ended in a field goal. Las Vegas took a 16-13 lead into halftime, and Bowers had already made his presence felt in a major way, catching seven of nine targets for 87 yards in the first half.
New Orleans flipped the game in the third quarter. Tyler Shough connected with Johnson for a second touchdown, putting the Saints ahead 20-16.
Then came a costly mistake on the kickoff: Dylan Laube fumbled, and the Saints took over at the Las Vegas 32-yard line. They cashed in and stretched the lead to 27-16 with a little over five minutes left in the quarter.
Las Vegas needed a spark, and Washington Jr. delivered it. The 2026 fourth-round pick, who had been one of the breakout names in training camp and preseason, ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 27-22. The Raiders missed the two-point try, but the energy had shifted.
Then the defense changed everything. With New Orleans threatening again at the Raiders’ 29-yard line, Malcolm Koonce crashed off the left side and forced a fumble on a sack of Shough.
Maxx Crosby recovered it, and Las Vegas wasted no time turning the takeaway into points. Cousins found Cody White for a four-yard touchdown, and even with another failed two-point conversion, the Raiders were back on top 28-27.
The takeaways kept coming. Las Vegas forced another turnover when Shough threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by the rookie defensive back. Cousins and Bowers then hooked up again, this time for a touchdown that made it 35-27.
New Orleans had one last shot with just over two minutes left and faced 4th-and-1 at the Raiders’ 20-yard line. Las Vegas brought pressure, Jeremy Chinn came flying in from the secondary for a strip-sack, and Taron Johnson recovered. The Saints forced a punt and got one final chance to tie, but Nakobe Dean ended that hope by forcing another fumble from Johnson and sealing the win.
That was enough to send the Raiders to 3-0, with Dean, Chinn, and Koonce all playing key roles in closing it out.
In Other News...
Raiders Win Streak Cant Hide One Defensive Concern
The Raiders third straight win came with plenty to like from a roster that is starting to find its rhythm. Kicker Gay supplied nine points in the first half, linebacker Dean helped keep the Saints from getting comfortable on the ground, and tight end Bowers kept the offense moving with seven catches for 87 yards before halftime.
Still, the tape left at least one uneasy note for a defense that has otherwise benefited from the winning run. Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao had a rough afternoon against New Orleans, and rookie Masses also ran into problems in coverage on Chris Olave, a reminder that even while the results are stacking up, there are still vulnerable spots for opponents to attack. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Just Exposed One Problem That Could Matter Vs Chiefs
Las Vegas kept its momentum rolling with a 35-27 win over the Saints, and the third straight victory has made the early shift under Klint Kubiak look increasingly real. Brock Bowers remains the kind of weapon the offense can lean on, giving the Raiders a centerpiece who changes how defenses have to play them and helps keep the whole unit moving with more confidence.
Even with the offense trending up, the defensive side still has a wrinkle worth watching as the schedule tightens. Isaiah Pola-Maos performance against New Orleans spotlighted a spot that opponents can press, and the possible return of Treydan Stukes adds another layer to how Las Vegas may try to patch things before a matchup with the Chiefs brings a much sharper test. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Just Made An Early Statement Fans Will Bring Into Chiefs Week
A fast start to the season can change the mood around a team quickly, and the Raiders just gave theirs a little more staying power. Las Vegas beat the Saints 35-27 to move to 3-0, a mark the franchise has reached only one other time since 2002, and it did so after digging out from a third-quarter deficit.
Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes, Brock Bowers made his 2026 debut with a touchdown, and the game wound up matching an NFL record with six scoring catches by tight ends. The bigger takeaway for the Raiders is what came after the break, when they flipped the game by forcing four fourth-quarter turnovers, the kind of surge that will linger once Chiefs week arrives. [Read more 🡒]