The Raiders walked out of New Orleans with a 35-27 win and a 3-0 start, and that alone says plenty about where this Klint Kubiak team is headed. It’s the first time Las Vegas has been undefeated through three weeks since 2021, and Kubiak has already done something Jon Gruden never managed until his fourth season with the franchise.
Now the bigger question is what this team actually is. After Sunday, there’s a clearer picture starting to form.
Brock Bowers made his return count in a big way. The league’s best tight end caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Saints, and there didn’t appear to be any sign that he was protecting his knee. If he keeps moving like that and stays on the field, the Raiders have the kind of weapon that can help them hang with better teams, just like they did in New Orleans.
Kirk Cousins is making the quarterback conversation look a lot simpler than anyone expected. The original idea was for him to hold things down until Fernando Mendoza was ready, but after this latest win, Mendoza is barely part of the discussion heading into week four. Cousins is tied with Brock Purdy for the NFL lead with 9 touchdown passes, and if he stays healthy, the Raiders may have no reason to mess with the setup.
There’s also a real defense here, even if Sunday got messy late. Rob Leonard’s group looked worn down by the end, but it still came up with four turnovers in the fourth quarter, plus another takeaway that got wiped out by a penalty. The secondary had its issues against the Saints, but the front seven is a major step up from what the Raiders had a year ago.
Malcolm Koonce is back to looking like himself, and that matters. He forced a turnover with a strip sack and played a big role in Hezekiah Masses’ interception by driving his blocker into Tyler Shough and helping force a bad throw.
Masses keeps showing up in the right spot at the right time, too. He now has three interceptions, which puts him tied with Giants safety Jevon Holland for the league lead.
The one concern sitting on top of all this is Ashton Jeanty. He opened the year with 102 rushing yards on 23 carries against the Miami Dolphins and looked like the back the Raiders drafted him to be.
Since then, though, the numbers have cooled fast. Over his last 40 carries, he’s averaging just 2.6 yards per attempt.
Some of that is on the blocking, but he also hasn’t been making many defenders miss, and he dropped three passes in week 2. If that doesn’t turn around, the Raiders may need to give Mike Washington Jr. more work.
Sunday’s win also came against the toughest fight Las Vegas has seen so far this season, which only makes the result look better with time. The Raiders are 3-0, the identity is starting to show, and the trip to Kansas City in week four will bring another test.
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 🡒]