The Raiders head into Sunday’s trip to New Orleans with most of their key pieces lined up to go, even if a few names on the injury report kept things interesting all week.
Las Vegas’ final report on Friday cleared up the biggest questions. Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Segun Olubi, defensive linemen Folorunso Fatukasi and Kwity Paye, and wide receiver Daereke Young all showed up on the report at different points because they were limited or missed practice during the week. The good news for the Raiders is that all of them except Paye are set to play Sunday.
That matters because Dean, Fatukasi and Paye are all tied to what Las Vegas wants to do up front in the pass rush, each in his own way. The bigger picture is encouraging for the Raiders: they appear to be getting to Week 3 with a roster that’s close to full strength, and the team’s physical style on defense has already made rest days important for some of its best players.
There does not appear to be any major long-term alarm surrounding the players listed this week.
The status of Brock Bowers was the other headline. He, Aidan O'Connell and Paye were all listed as questionable going into Sunday.
Bowers practiced Wednesday and Thursday, then sat out Friday. Kubiak said Friday that Bowers had a planned day off and would not warm up against the Saints, but he remains questionable and could still play.
The call will come at game time.
Kirk Cousins said earlier this week that getting Bowers back would give the offense another weapon to work with.
“I think anybody, no matter what the position they have as a skill guy, you can use them to attack a defense. And again, that's a little more coaches problem; again," Cousins said earlier this week.
"My job is to just kind of execute what they're designing up, what they're calling, and go where my reads take me. But you want to have your best players on the field, and I think Brock [Bowers] coming back gives us gives us that."
The biggest absence on the back end belongs to rookie safety Treydan Stukes, who missed every practice this week because of a concussion. He is still the Raiders’ starting safety, but with Stukes out Sunday, veteran Isaiah Pola-Mao will step in against the Saints.
That also gives Stukes a little more time before a much bigger defensive test next Sunday, when the Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas will want every available body in the secondary for that one, and Stukes’ speed and coverage ability will matter there.
Head coach Klint Kubiak also spent part of the week talking about the force behind the Raiders’ early success. He pointed to the defense as a group effort and credited the people around Maxx Crosby for helping make it work.
“I think it starts with Maxx [Crosby]. Maxx demands a lot of attention, the way that he plays and the production that he has. Just really pleased by the way that Robbie's got the group playing, how Travis [Smith] is coaching the defensive line, how demanding Ronnell [Williams] is, how great a teacher that Joe Woods and Matt [Robinson] are,” Kubiak said earlier this week.
“Just our coaching staff is doing a good job putting the guys in positions to be successful. And it's two games with 15 regular season games left to go.
So, by no means do we think we've arrived or we've accomplished anything. And we just got to keep working and getting better."
For now, the Raiders are taking the same approach they have all season: steady, businesslike, and not getting caught up in the outside noise. The early success has followed them on the road, but inside the building, the week has looked like every other one so far.
In Other News...
Raiders 3-0 Push May Depend On One Saints Weakness
The Raiders head into their matchup with New Orleans looking for a third straight win, and the path could run straight through Tyler Shough. Las Vegas has already made a habit of leaning on pressure under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, and that approach makes sense here against a quarterback who has spent the season under constant duress.
Shough has been the leagues most pressured passer so far and has taken eight sacks in two games, a combination that has helped expose how much trouble he can get into when the pocket breaks down. For the Raiders, the challenge is turning that weakness into the kind of disruption that can shape the game, because their chase for 3-0 may hinge on whether Leonards fronts and blitzes keep forcing mistakes. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face A 3-0 Test Against A Saints Wrinkle They Must Solve
The Raiders head into Week 3 with a chance to build on a 3-0 start, but the Saints present a specific kind of problem that has already shown up on film. Under coordinator Brandon Staley, New Orleans has leaned into a blitzing concept against teams that operate from under-center looks, and it helped create pressure problems for the Ravens. For Las Vegas, that means this is not just another early-season test, but a matchup that could hinge on how well the offense handles a wrinkle designed to disrupt timing before a play can fully develop.
One possible answer is to lean into personnel that can help steady the picture and give the offense more flexibility. The Raiders may turn to fullback Connor Heyward in 21 personnel, a setup that could help them counter the Saints pressure looks while opening up more options around the formation. It is the kind of adjustment that does not guarantee clean answers, but it does give Las Vegas a path to keep its offense from getting boxed in by a defense that is clearly looking to force one. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Cousins Is Already Testing What Raiders Fans Hoped He'd Bring
After a rocky start elsewhere in the AFC West, the Raiders have reason to keep watching Kirk Cousins closely because the early signs around him in Las Vegas are exactly what the team hoped to see. Agent Mike McCartney said Cousins is enjoying playing under new head coach Klint Kubiak, and that matters for a roster looking for steadiness at quarterback and a voice that can help set the tone in the locker room.
The leadership piece may be just as important as the on-field fit. Cousins is already embracing that role, and for a Raiders team trying to build some early momentum in a division where Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes remain central figures, a calm and engaged veteran can carry real weight. What remains to be seen is how far that comfort and leadership will translate once the games start asking for more than a good feel in September. [Read more 🡒]