Projecting Raiders Starters for Week 3 Against Saints

Las Vegas won its first two games by using its defense to spark its offense. On both ends of the field, the Raiders' offseason additions and productive training camp paid off. Week 3 is another opportunity for the upstart Raiders to build on that momentum.

The team undoubtedly improved over the offseason, but Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and his team have remained grounded. They went back to the drawing board after Week 2 to see where they could improve further. Kubiak explained Las Vegas' mindset heading into Week 3.

“I think the NFL is a hard league. It's hard to move the ball; it's hard to stop people. It’s the best athletes in the world. And especially with our team, we definitely have an underdog mentality, and we have a lot to prove, and you don't prove it in two games. So, we got to prove it every week,” Kubiak said earlier this week.

Everything about Sunday's matchup against the Saints will be different for Kubiak's Raiders, who will soon embark on one of the toughest stretches of games any team in the league will have this season. As they enter Week 3, the Raiders' starters are set pretty much, with slight changes due to injuries.

Offense

On offense, the Raiders will have the same starters across the board, as there were no notable changes listed on their final injury report. Las Vegas has solidified their starters while continuing to develop their reserve players.

The Raiders' offense looks to continue gelling further, as the unit continues to grow throughout the regular season. The Saints' defensive front will challenge Las Vegas' offensive line, as the Los Angeles Chargers did last week.

Defense

Defensively, Las Vegas will largely be the same as they have been throughout the season's first two weeks. The return of Darien Porter makes cornerback the only position Las Vegas has any questions about heading into Week 3. Porter missed Week 2 with an injury.

Rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses had the debut of a lifetime, intercepting Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice last Sunday. Masses was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. His debut makes it hard to start Porter. However, the possibilities still favor Las Vegas.

They will either get their starter back in Porter, or another talented player in Masses will begin the game. In the end, the Raiders will lean on both at some point against the Saints, making who starts and who does not start at this position somewhat moot.

Overall, the Raiders have reason to be confident in their defense, as it is statistically one of the league's better defenses. They are buoyed by arguably one of the best linebacker duos in the league over the past two weeks. Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker have helped turn Las Vegas' defense around.

Dean, Walker, and the Raiders' defensive line will work together to continue helping their young defensive backfield out. Las Vegas' defensive line and linebackers have played a significant role in how the season has begun.

“I think they're doing some good things, and our pass rush is doing some good things, and Nakobe [Dean] and Quay [Walker] are getting guys on the same page, so it's a team effort. One unit has success when the other one is doing their job. So, hey, two games into it, and very short memory. Let's just go build on it and get ready for this next game.”

Curveball

Brock Bowers is questionable heading into Sunday. He may or may not start, and if he does, it remains to be seen how long he will actually play. The Raiders could play it safe and rest Bowers an additional week ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bowers' presence on the field alone would be enough to give the Saints' defense something more to concern themselves with on game day. However, a fully rested Bowers returning to the field in Week 4 makes plenty of sense as well, for both Bowers and the team as a whole.