Raiders are 2-0
It feels a little strange writing that after everything Raiders fans have gone through over the years, but this start feels worth paying attention to.
After opening the season with a win over Miami, the Raiders went on the road and beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14. More importantly, they showed us a little more about what this team might be under Klint Kubiak.
This wasn’t a game where everything went perfectly. Ashton Jeanty struggled to find room on the ground. The Chargers moved the football. Brock Bowers was still unavailable.
But the Raiders found another way to win.
And that might be the most encouraging part of their 2-0 start.
Kirk Cousins Gave the Raiders What They Needed
Kirk Cousins wasn’t brought to Las Vegas to be the future of the franchise. He was brought in to stabilize the quarterback position and give this offense a chance to function right now.
Through two games, that’s exactly what we’ve seen.
Against the Chargers, Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Tre Tucker for a big touchdown and found Cody White twice in the end zone.
Through his first two games as a Raider, Cousins has now thrown six touchdown passes.
For a fan base that has spent years wondering what it would get from the quarterback position every Sunday, there is something refreshing about simply watching competent and steady quarterback play.
The bigger question is whether this continues when defenses adjust.
Tre Tucker Gave the Offense Another Dimension
One of my biggest takeaways from Los Angeles wasn’t just Cousins.
It was Tre Tucker.
Tucker finished with five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, including multiple explosive plays downfield.
That matters because the Raiders need more than Jeanty and Bowers to make this offense work.
If Tucker can consistently threaten defenses downfield, opponents have another problem to worry about. That could eventually create more opportunities underneath for Bowers and make it harder to load up against Jeanty.
We’re only two games into the season, so I’m not ready to make Tucker into something he hasn’t proven to be yet.
But 119 yards gets my attention.
The Jeanty Question Isn’t Going Away
The strange part about the Chargers win was what didn’t happen.
Ashton Jeanty carried the ball 21 times for only 48 yards.
After watching him rush for more than 100 yards against Miami, the Chargers gave us our first look at what happens when a defense keeps Jeanty under control.
And the Raiders still scored 26 points.
That’s encouraging.
But the running game is also something I’m watching closely against New Orleans.
The Raiders don’t need Jeanty to rush for 150 yards every Sunday. They do need to figure out how to keep the offense balanced when teams are determined to take him away.
That’s going to become even more interesting as the season goes along.
Don’t Forget About This Raiders Defense
The offense will get attention because of Cousins’ three touchdowns, but the defense deserves just as much credit for the win.
The Raiders forced three Chargers turnovers and kept Justin Herbert from taking over the game.
That’s now becoming part of the early identity of this team.
They’re not just asking Cousins and the offense to win shootouts every week. The defense is creating opportunities and giving the offense chances to finish games.
Two games isn’t enough to declare this an elite defense.
It is enough to start paying attention.
Now Comes New Orleans
This is where the Raiders’ 2-0 start gets interesting.
The Saints enter the matchup 1-1 after coming back to beat Baltimore, and now the Raiders have to play their second consecutive road game.
New Orleans also presents a different challenge.
Tyler Shough and the Saints passing attack have shown that they can move the football, and Chris Olave gives this Raiders secondary another legitimate test.
But I’m watching something bigger than individual matchups.
I want to see consistency.
Miami showed us the Raiders could start the season strong.
Los Angeles showed us they could go on the road, beat a division opponent and win even when Jeanty wasn’t dominating the game.
New Orleans gives them an opportunity to show that the first two weeks weren’t just a good start.
And What About Brock Bowers?
This might be the biggest storyline heading into the game.
Brock Bowers is questionable after missing the first two games while recovering from his knee injury.
The Raiders have managed to start 2-0 without one of the best weapons on their roster.
That’s impressive.
But it also makes me wonder what this offense could eventually look like with Cousins, Jeanty, Tucker and a healthy Bowers all available at the same time.
There’s no reason to rush Bowers back for one September game.
But when he does return, the Raiders offense could look considerably different from the one we’ve watched during these first two weeks.
So, Are the Raiders Actually Good?
I’m not ready to answer that after two games.
And that’s kind of the point.
The fun part of this season might be figuring that out together.
The Raiders don’t need to convince us they’re contenders in September. They need to keep stacking good performances and showing that the things we’re seeing are sustainable.
Right now they’re 2-0.
Cousins has provided stability.
The defense is creating turnovers.
Other receivers are contributing.
Jeanty has already shown what he can do when the running game gets going.
Now comes another road test in New Orleans.
Let’s see what Week 3 teaches us.
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