The Raiders are 3-0, and that alone would be enough to rewrite the mood around this team. But the win in New Orleans did more than push Las Vegas to 35-27 over the Saints. It also put a spotlight on the part of the roster that suddenly looks like the biggest issue nobody expected.
The good news starts with the coaching. A year ago, the Raiders were a mess.
Now they look organized, sharp and dangerous, and the biggest reason for the turnaround is the staff. Klint Kubiak has this offense humming in a way that feels rare in recent Raiders history.
The ball keeps moving, the plan looks clear, and the group plays with a confidence that was nowhere to be found last season. With the way this offense has operated through three weeks, it has drawn comparisons to the Raiders’ better units from years past, including the Jon Gruden offenses from his first stint in the early 2000s.
That setup only got more dangerous with Brock Bowers back in the mix. Missing two games did not do much to cool off the expectation that he can still pile up 100 catches this season.
Bowers gives the Raiders everything at once: versatility, athleticism and football IQ. In an offense that leans heavily on multiple-tight-end sets, he fits like a glove.
Sunday was the first real look at this version of the attack with Bowers available, and it was clear where the center of gravity sits. Kubiak had already made it a point in the first two games to get his best players involved no matter their position, and now the offense finally has its top weapon back where he belongs.
But while the offense keeps building momentum, the defense has a problem at free safety.
Isaiah Pola-Mao was exposed in New Orleans after rookie Treydan Stukes missed the game with a concussion. Pola-Mao, a former USC safety, has bounced in and out of the lineup throughout his Raiders career, but this was as rough as it has looked.
Maybe it is a scheme issue. Maybe it is just that his flaws stand out more now because the rest of the defense has improved.
Either way, the Raiders need a fix.
Stukes should be back soon if he clears concussion protocol, but if he is not ready for this week’s game against the Chiefs, the Raiders will have to patch the spot fast. Otherwise, Patrick Mahomes will have a target to go after all day.
One possible answer is rookie defensive back Dalton Johnson, even if he is not a clean fit at free safety. The Raiders could move him and Taron Johnson around and hope the combination works better than what they got Sunday.
For a 3-0 team, that is the strange twist: the offense looks real, the coaching looks even better, and the one thing threatening to drag them down is a spot they did not expect to worry about.
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 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 🡒]
Raiders 3-0 Start Still Comes With A Warning Fans Can't Ignore
The Raiders are 3-0 after knocking off the New Orleans Saints in Week 3, and the early record has given the rebuilding group under head coach Klint Kubiak a much-needed boost. Even so, the win came with reminders that this version of the team is still very much a work in progress, with issues showing up on both sides of the ball as the season gets rolling.
Run defense and pass protection remain among the bigger concerns, which kept the game from feeling as clean as the standings suggest. Las Vegas still found enough to finish the job, thanks in part to contributions from Mike Washington and Bowers, but the kind of uneven performance that can be hidden in September will need to tighten up before the next stretch of games gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]