Chase Young and Kaden Elliss are the Saints’ best bets to tilt Week 3 in their favor, and the reason is pretty simple: both players are built to wreck the Raiders’ timing before it ever gets rolling.
Young gets the edge as the most important defender in this matchup because he’s the most likely Saint to throw Las Vegas’ offense off schedule. Elliss is right there behind him. Together, they’re the defenders best positioned to affect both Kirk Cousins and Ashton Jeanty, which is what separates them from the rest of the New Orleans defense.
That doesn’t mean the rest of the unit can take a back seat. Stopping the Raiders will still take the whole front seven, and the Saints will need Young and Elliss to do their part in two different ways: closing down Cousins quickly in the passing game and helping keep Jeanty under control on the ground. If those two jobs get done, this game could get lopsided fast.
Young’s speed has been the standout trait. Through two weeks, he’s averaging a .71 second get off, which ranks fifth in the league. He’s also piled up 12 pressures, another fifth-place mark in the NFL, and those numbers help explain why he’s been the main engine of the Saints’ pass rush when it has shown up at all.
Elliss brings a different kind of value, but the impact can be just as sharp. As a linebacker, he has the quickness to join the rush and threaten Cousins from different angles. It would not be a surprise if Brandon Staley leans on him a little more as a blitzer this week.
The run defense has its own checklist. Young has to hold the edge, while Elliss and Pete Werner, who has been off to a surprisingly strong start, need to stay disciplined with their gaps against Jeanty. But the interior defensive line still has to do its part for any of that to really matter.
The key against Cousins is urgency. He does not move much, and the Saints do not need sacks to make life hard on him. Getting there before he can get the ball out is what changes the shape of the drive.
If Cousins settles in, he can be tough to shake loose. Early pressure is what can make him uncomfortable in the pocket and limit the big plays the Raiders had last week. The Saints’ defense has to force the quick throws first, because if they let Cousins sit back and operate, he can pick them apart downfield.
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For New Orleans, that kind of trust is a big deal this early in a rookies career. Donaldsons feel for defensive pressure schemes and his physical style have helped him stay active on third downs, where pass protection often decides whether a drive keeps moving or stalls out. The Saints still have more to learn about what he can do as a runner, but they already seem comfortable putting him in spots that usually go to players they trust most. [Read more 🡒]
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That will matter again against the Raiders, who bring a varied and effective pass rush into the matchup with New Orleans. The Saints do not need Shough to be perfect, but they do need him to keep his poise when the pocket tightens and to turn those stressful snaps into manageable ones. For a team trying to build around him, this is the kind of test that can tell you a lot without giving the whole story away. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Passing Attack Could Put Raiders To The Test Early
The Raiders head into their first hostile environment of the season riding a 2-0 start, but the challenge waiting in New Orleans looks different from the opening two weeks. The Saints have leaned on a passing game led by Tyler Shough and Chris Olave, giving them a downfield threat that can stress a defense quickly and force a secondary to hold up under pressure.
Las Vegas also has to sort through an injury hit in the back end, with starting safety Treydan Stukes out because of a concussion. That matters against a Saints team that has already shown a knack for rallying late in its first two games, which can make every possession feel heavier and every coverage mistake more costly. [Read more 🡒]