The Saints head into Week 3 with momentum, but the Las Vegas Raiders are bringing plenty of their own after starting 2-0 under former Saints OC Klint Kubiak. That sets up a game New Orleans can win, but only if it handles the key battles that could swing things either way.
One of the biggest questions sits right at the line of scrimmage, where the Saints’ run defense will be tested by the Raiders’ rushing attack. Las Vegas’ run blocking has looked like an area that can be attacked, and that gives New Orleans a chance to make a difference up front.
Vernon Broughton has been really good so far, Christen Miller could hopefully return, Davon Godchaux is helping create space for linebackers to attack, and Kaden Elliss has been playing incredibly right now. Even so, the Saints still have to account for Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington, two backs who can change a play in an instant.
New Orleans handled the Ravens well in that area, but it has to do it again.
The other major concern is Maxx Crosby. If the Saints want any shot at controlling this game, they have to deal with him.
Crosby is the kind of defender who can flip a game on his own and give the Raiders’ offense room to breathe. That challenge gets tougher because New Orleans will be without starting LT Kelvin Banks Jr., who was injured against the Baltimore Ravens.
If Crosby lines up on that side, it could get ugly fast.
Then there’s Brock Bowers, who is set to return for the Raiders. Tight end coverage was already a problem for the Saints last week, so this is another spot where they have to clean things up.
The linebackers need to do a better job finding open space and reacting, and Jonas Sanker could end up with the coverage assignment on Bowers for much of the game. Bowers is coming back from injury, so it remains to be seen whether he’s fully at 100%, but the Saints can’t afford to let him take over regardless.
In Other News...
Saints May Be Catching Raiders At A Much Worse Time
The Saints could be facing a tougher version of the Raiders than the one that has opened the season 2-0 without Brock Bowers. According to ESPNs Dan Graziano, the rookie tight end is more likely than not to be on the field when Las Vegas meets New Orleans in Week 3, which would give the Raiders another dangerous weapon in an offense that has already found early success.
Bowers status is still not locked in, though, and that leaves the Saints watching practice closely before game week settles in. If he does suit up, it would change the complexion of a matchup that already looked tricky for New Orleans, especially against a team that has shown it can win even while waiting for one of its most important playmakers to return. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Werner Is Giving The Saints A New Defensive Anchor
Pete Werner has spent the 2026 season stepping into a far bigger spot for the Saints after Demario Davis departure, and the early returns have been encouraging for a defense that needed someone to steady the middle. In the recent win over the Baltimore Ravens, Werner showed exactly why his role has grown, leading New Orleans with 11 tackles while also adding a sack as the defense worked to keep the game within reach.
The performance mattered because the Saints needed more than just volume from their linebackers, they needed reliability and impact when the game tightened after halftime. Werner delivered both, and his 79.6 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus backed up the idea that he is not just filling space in the middle of the defense but helping shape what it can become. [Read more 🡒]
Terron Armsteads Tyler Shough Praise Should Fire Up Saints Fans
Terron Armsteads name still carries plenty of weight in New Orleans, and the former Saints tackle gave fans a reason to perk up this week when he spoke glowingly about Tyler Shough. On NFL on CBS, the five-time Pro Bowler said he has been impressed enough by the rookie quarterbacks leadership and competitiveness to even think about un-retiring, a striking compliment from a player who has been away from the game for two years.
For a Saints team still searching for every sign that its quarterback room is headed in the right direction, praise like that matters. Armstead spent enough time around winning football to know when a player has the traits that travel, and his reaction to Shough suggests the rookie has made an impression beyond the building. Whether it leads to anything more is another matter, but it is the kind of feedback that should land well with a fan base eager for reasons to believe. [Read more 🡒]