Biggest Factors in Raiders' Formula for Success Against Saints

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to face the New Orleans Saints on the road this Sunday. Both teams are coming off surprising wins and are looking to finish the first quarter of the season strong. Las Vegas has fielded a much stronger team than last season.

Yet the Raiders know two games don't say much about a team in a 17-game season. The Saints' win over the Baltimore Ravens gives them reason to be confident heading into Week 3, just as the Raiders' 2-0 start gives them reason to be confident as well.

Several factors will determine Sunday's outcome, as both teams are still figuring themselves out early. However, a few things will impact the game more than others. After two weeks, it is relatively clear what the Raiders need to do to win.

Sunday is another chance to see what the 2026 Raiders will be under Klint Kubiak. Below are three matchups that will determine Las Vegas' Week 3 matchup against the Saints.

Raiders' Defensive Line vs. Saints' Offensive Line

The Saints' offensive line is banged up. Even if it weren't, Las Vegas' defensive line has the ability to ruin entire game plans. If the Raiders' defensive line can improve against the run and can continue to rush the passer at a high level, they are likely to win the game.

Las Vegas is putting together one of the league's best defenses through the early part of the season. That success starts with their ability to produce up front. The Raiders' defensive line is the unit that makes the defense, and therefore the team as a whole, go.

Raiders' Defensive Backfield/LBs vs. Tyler Shough

Shough has a quick release and several capable receivers. Depending on how well the Raiders' defensive line plays, Shough could potentially present issues they have yet to see in the season's first two weeks. The Saints have the best set of pass-catchers the Raiders have seen so far.

Las Vegas' young defensive backfield is eager for another opportunity to prove their most recent outing was not an anomaly. If these Raiders are different, Sunday could be another step in the right direction. Darien Porter's return should help the unit.

Kirk Cousins vs. Kirk Cousins

Quarterback is naturally the most critical position on the field. Yet Cousins' performance has been especially critical under Kubiak. Cousins' familiarity with Kubiak's thinking and playcalling has given the Raiders a much smoother start than they would have had without him under center.

Still, at times the Chargers' defense figured out Las Vegas' offense. The Saints and other teams around the league will take the same approach, going all out to eliminate Ashton Jeanty and forcing Cousins to beat them. Cousins and the Raiders have pulled it off twice so far.

The Saints will undoubtedly look to replicate the Chargers' game plan. Cheering Saints fans will make life hard for Las Vegas while the game is competitive. Communication will be much more challenging in Week 3 than it was in Week 2, and Cousins' presence will be beneficial.

New Orleans will test the Raiders' offensive line repeatedly as it tries to add to the long list of things Cousins and Las Vegas' still-growing offense must do to be successful. Like he did last Sunday, Cousins knows every part of his process and mechanics will factor into Sunday's results.

"I don't know if it's toughness so much as just reading with your feet. We talk about timing, and you take your drop that's the drop for that play, and then you go with your feet where they take you. In that case, I was just kind of reading with my feet and where my eyes took me, and if I had to just chuck and duck a little bit, that's what I got to do,” Cousins said earlier this week.

"Some of it, too is happening so fast, you're just playing off instinct, and many times it's just a trained instinct that you have, and you just play off that. But you have to be smart. You're not looking for those hits, but you also understand they're going to be a part of playing the game."

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