The Raiders have opened the year at 2-0, but Week 3 brings a different kind of test in New Orleans. The Saints are 1-1, and this trip has a few obvious trouble spots for Las Vegas.
The biggest one starts with the ball in the air. New Orleans is rolling through the passing game, and quarterback Tyler Shough is sitting atop the NFL with 662 passing yards.
Chris Olave has been right there with him, ranking second in the league with 268 receiving yards. That production hasn’t come against soft competition, either.
The Saints did it against the Lions in Week 1 and the Ravens in Week 2, which makes this the toughest aerial attack the Raiders have seen so far.
That challenge gets sharper because Las Vegas is short-handed on the back end. Starting safety Treydan Stukes is out with a concussion, and Isaiah Pola-Mao - the player Stukes was drafted to replace - is set to start next to Jeremy Chinn. That leaves the Raiders without their best five defensive backs on the field.
Then there’s the setting itself. This will be the first real hostile road atmosphere of the 2026 season for the Raiders.
They opened at home and then played in front of a friendly crowd in Los Angeles against the Chargers. New Orleans should be the opposite.
The Saints’ fans are expected to be loud in the Caesar’s Dome, especially with this being the home opener and the team already giving them plenty to cheer about. For the Raiders offense, that means silent counts, communication issues, and the real possibility of pre-snap penalties.
And even if Las Vegas gets off to a strong start, the Saints have already shown they know how to finish. In both of their first two games, they were forced to dig out of early holes.
In Detroit, they came back from down 21-0 in the third quarter to tie it 24-24 and push the game to overtime. A week later in Baltimore, they erased a deficit again, scoring twice in the fourth quarter to beat the Ravens 24-17.
That kind of closing kick means the Raiders can’t afford to relax at any point.
In Other News...
Saints Found An Undrafted Rookie They Already Trust In Key Spots
C.J. Donaldson hasnt needed a heavy rushing load to matter for the Saints early on. Through his first two NFL games, the undrafted rookie running back has earned steady praise from teammates and coaches for the less flashy parts of the job, especially his blocking and pass protection. On a roster where every snap has to be earned, Donaldson has shown he can help keep the offense on schedule by picking up pressure and giving the quarterback cleaner pockets.
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 🡒]
Tyler Shough Faces An Early Test Saints Fans Should Watch Closely
Tyler Shough has already spent a lot of time dealing with heat this season, and not just the kind that comes with a rookie trying to settle in. He has been under pressure on a steady stream of dropbacks, a sign of both what the line has allowed and the way he plays when a play starts to break down. Even so, Shough has shown he can handle it, extending plays and keeping the offense afloat when defenders get into the pocket.
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 Need Kellen Moore To Fix One Growing Offensive Problem
Travis Etienne Jr. entered the week with a hamstring issue that limited him early on, but he finished with a full practice and no injury designation, clearing the way for him to play a bigger role in the Saints backfield. Even so, his usage has stayed strangely muted, and Doug Nussmeiers description of him as an elite runner who has not been deployed that way only sharpens the sense that New Orleans is leaving something on the table.
With Tyler Shough still carrying the offense, the Saints could use Etienne as more than a change-of-pace option, especially with the Las Vegas Raiders next on the schedule. A steadier rushing plan would help take some of the burden off the quarterback and give the offense a chance to look more balanced, but whether Kellen Moore is ready to lean into that remains the bigger question. [Read more 🡒]