The New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders meet up in Week 3, both looking to show that their strong start isn't a mirage.
The Saints also return to the Superdome for the first time since the season-opener against a crowd that's expected to be juiced up. If they can keep the good times rolling, things could get really exciting.
THE GAME | Raiders (2-0) at SAINTS (1-1)
- When: 3:25 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 27
- Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Series history: Raiders lead 8-7-1
- Last meeting: 2024, Raiders 25, Saints 10
- Betting: Saints -3.5; o/u 43.5
- TV: CBS
- Listen: WWL AM-870; FM-105.3 & the Audacy app
- Pregame: First Take with Steve Geller & Jeff Nowak, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Countdown to Kickoff with Steve Geller & Bobby Hebert, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
With all that in mind, here are the top three things (and some lagniappe) I'm looking for when the Saints host the Raiders in Week 3:
1. HOW'S THE LEFT SIDE?
Injuries are an inevitability throughout an NFL season. If you're a team that can't survive a handful of starters missing any given week, you were never a deep enough team to really be a contender, anyway. But some injuries hit different, and that's definitely the case with LT Kelvin Banks Jr. set to miss the next few months as he recovers from ankle surgery.
There's a reason the Saints have invested so many first-round picks at the tackle spots in recent years. When you don't have those spots figured out, the offense can bog down REAL quick. so the question becomes: Exactly how ready is Asim Richards to climb into a starter role?
The way things finished against the Ravens gives at least some reason for optimism. Richards is in Year 2 in Kellen Moore's offense and he's feeling comfortable. The Saints scored both of their touchdowns in the win over the Ravens with Richards on the field and he looked to have some real juice in the run game. He was also effective in pass-blocking, though he was given help on a lot of reps. The Saints clearly had no interest in letting him go 1-on-1 with Trey Hendrickson.
I'd expect the same idea to hold true this week when it comes to Maxx Crosby. The Saints, I'm sure, have a protection plan that prioritizes helping out Asim when Crosby is lined up over the left side. But the Raiders get to come up with a plan, too, and they'll get the luxury of dictating the action.
The Raiders are tied for the league lead with 8 sacks, and rank 6th with 34 QB pressures. Meanwhile the Saints have allowed the second-most QB pressures (40) and sacks (8) through the first two weeks of the season. The Raiders have only sent extra pressure on 23.5% of their pass rush snaps. They rely on their front four, led by Crosby, Tonka Hemingway and Kwity Payye.
How the Saints manage that pass rush could decide the game.
2. STOP THE RUN (AGAIN)
The Saints have had some fascinating run game matchups through the first three weeks. It started with a pocketbound quarterback (Jared Goff) flanked by an all-around superstar running back (Jahmyr Gibbs). That matchup didn't go so well for the run defense.
Then it was the ultimate mobile quarterback (Lamar Jackson) flanked by a freight train running back (Derrick Henry). That went about as well as anyone could've hoped.
Well, in Week 3 we flip right back to the original script. Kirk Cousins is quite possibly the least mobile starting QB in the current NFL. The Raiders have been and will be dedicated to running the ball, and it will always be from the running back position. That means a heavy dose of Ashton Jeanty, last year's No. 6 overall pick, and rookie Mike Washington. The Saints pass rush has been a strength, but they only get to tee off if they can get the Raiders and Cousins into obvious passing situations.
The Raiders went into Week 3 with the third most rushing attempts in the NFL (67), but with only four carries of 10-plus yards and a league-worst 2.8 yards per carry. What that tells me is that Vegas is dedicated to the run game, even if it's not working.
3. VALUE THE BALL
The Saints have played two games this season. In one they lost the turnover battle 3-1 and fell 1 point short vs Lions. In the other they won the turnover battle 1-0 and found the winning margin over a heavily-favored Ravens squad. They also blocked a field goal and found a 53-yard kickoff return. Games are often won and lost in the margins and that's been clear to see to start this season.
The Raiders know that, too. They've already forced five turnovers, including three in their win over the Chargers last week, which ranks second in the NFL. They harassed Justin Herbert and his receivers, who were kind enough to hand it over.
The Saints are yet to lose a fumble this season and Tyler Shough has shown the ability to protect the ball, outside of a few rough moments in the opener. What we haven't seen are impact takeaways by the defense. They've forced two to this point. Vernon Broughton stole a ball from Jahmyr Gibbs and Julian Blackmon tracked down an overthrown ball to seal the win last week.
Chase Young got robbed of a strip sack. I'm looking to see him -- or maybe Cam Jordan? -- get one for real in this matchup. This figures to be a close game and that type of moment could be the difference.
LAGNIAPPE
The Saints are still yet to score a point in the first quarter this season. ...We're still waiting to see the run game get going (3.0 ypc). Perhaps this is the week we see vintage Alvin Kamara? In two career games against the Raiders, Kamara has totaled 332 yards and five touchdowns. Of that production, 191 yards and 2 touchdowns came in the passing game and 18 catches. Kamara didn't play in the 2024 matchup. Sometimes players just own certain teams, and maybe that's the case this week for AK? It'd be a good week for it, if so, to both build some confidence in the run game and take some pressure off Travis Etienne, who was limited in practice with a hamstring injury. ... Barion Brown is down with a hamstring injury, so who takes over in the return game? Kellen Moore said it would be a bit of a committee approach. I expect that committee to include CB Jayden Price and WR Jalen Cropper, the latter of whom was called up from the practice squad. ... The Saints are working in long snapper Cal Adomitis, the third time in as many weeks they've had a new player at the position. It wasn't an issue last week. Hopefully that's the case again. ... Raiders superstar TE Brock Bowers is yet to play this year as he works back from knee surgery. We might see his debut this week. Klint Kubiak said he'll work out before the game to assess his availability. If he can't go, Michael Mayer is a solid TE in his own right. ... Speaking of Klint Kubiak, the Saints' former OC heads to the Superdome in a familiar scenario. The Saints started the 2024 season at 2-0 and with 91 points scored. Everything felt possible. Then his team met up with an Eagles squad with an offense led by now-Saints head coach Kellen Moore. The Saints lost that matchup, the first of a seven-game skid that led to a head coach firing. It's unlikely we see a parallel situation, but the connection remains notable.
