Through two weeks, the Raiders’ pass rush has looked like a problem without much of a safety valve for opposing quarterbacks. Las Vegas is tied for the league lead with eight sacks, sits second in total pressures and pressure rate, and has done it while blitzing at one of the lowest rates in football. That’s the kind of profile that says the front four - and the secondary behind it - are doing the heavy lifting.
Maxx Crosby is still the engine, even if the box score hasn’t fully caught up yet. He has 1.5 sacks, four quarterback hits and 11 quarterback pressures in two games, and in Week 2 against the Chargers he logged just three pressures and one tackle without a sack. Even so, his presence kept showing up in ways the stat sheet can’t really capture.
One of those moments helped extend the Raiders’ margin of victory, and there was nothing in the traditional numbers to explain it. Chargers right tackle Joe Alt was also flagged four times in that game, with Crosby clearly forcing him into a rough night.
That’s the kind of performance that doesn’t always jump off the page, but still tilts the field. At some point, the production figures to catch up with the disruption.
Week 3 could be the spot where that happens, especially with the Saints suddenly missing left tackle Kelvin Banks. New Orleans beat the Ravens in Week 2, but Banks came out of that game with a serious injury.
On Monday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Banks was believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain and could miss 4-6 weeks. Later in the day, Rapoport said Banks suffered a severe high ankle sprain, is expected to have surgery and will be out indefinitely.
That means he won’t be on the field Sunday when the Saints host the Silver and Black.
Crosby has mostly lined up on the left edge through the first two games, so the Banks injury doesn’t set up a direct one-on-one for him as often as it might seem at first glance. But it does shift the matchup in a way that matters. Kwity Paye, who has quickly become the opposite edge threat the Raiders have been searching for, is set to go against replacement left tackle Asim Richards.
Richards has started only five games in his NFL career, and just one of those came at left tackle.
On Crosby’s side, the Raiders star is expected to spend most of the afternoon against Saints right tackle Taliese Fuaga. Fuaga, a 2024 first-round pick, has been graded by PFF as a bottom-10 offensive tackle and owns a bottom-five pass-blocking grade among 67 qualifiers.
That’s the kind of matchup Crosby has been waiting for.
The Saints may have to chip both edges with help or build the game plan around protecting one side at a time. Getting the run game going would help, and the Raiders have been middle of the pack against the run so far. But with Banks gone, New Orleans has lost one of its best blockers, and the ripple effect leaves Rob Leonard with a clear opening to attack in Week 3.
In Other News...
Maxx Crosby Weighed In As Caleb Williams Injury Backlash Grew
Caleb Williams hamstring injury in Week 2 against the Vikings quickly became bigger than a simple quarterback health update, especially once he was carted off the field and Chicago began sorting through the early fallout. Bears coach Ben Johnson has already described Williams as week-to-week, but the conversation around the injury shifted almost immediately into scrutiny over how the quarterback handled the moment and what it might mean for his return.
Maxx Crosby jumped into that debate by publicly defending Williams as the backlash grew, offering a notable voice from outside Chicagos building. For the Raiders, it is another reminder of how closely the league watches young quarterbacks under pressure, and how fast a routine injury report can turn into a much broader conversation about toughness, perception and recovery. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Rookie Class Is Already Creating One Early Separation
The Raiders got an early look at a sizable chunk of their 2026 draft class in Week 2 against the Chargers, and the first two games of the season have already started to sort out who is making noise and who is still looking for a foothold. Six rookies saw the field in that matchup, giving the coaching staff a useful snapshot of how the class is translating from offseason promise to real-game responsibility.
Zeke Masses has clearly put himself in the conversation after a standout defensive showing that included two interceptions, while some of the other first-year players had more limited impact as the evaluation process continues. It is still very early, but the first two weeks have given the Raiders an initial read on which newcomers are already carving out roles and which ones will need more time before the picture gets clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza Just Added An Unexpected Twist To His Future
Fernando Mendoza is already making a name for himself in Las Vegas beyond the huddle. The Raiders quarterback, formerly of Indiana, has launched a new series called "Finance with Fernando," a project aimed at helping people learn the basics of financial responsibility. It fits neatly with the off-field interests Mendoza has shown for some time, including a clear emphasis on finance and business in his LinkedIn profile and his academic background in business administration.
For the Raiders, the timing adds another layer to a player they view as a potential future face of the franchise. Mendoza is expected to spend much of his first NFL season in a backup role, but he is already building a profile that extends well past the depth chart. If his on-field rise takes time, his off-field brand is moving fast, and Las Vegas has a young quarterback whose path may be unfolding in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]