The NFL’s Most Surprising Early-Season Teams Meet in New Orleans

Very few people expected the Las Vegas Raiders or New Orleans Saints to command national attention entering Week 3.

The Raiders began the season with a new head coach, a 38-year-old quarterback and major questions about whether their rebuilt roster could compete in a loaded AFC West. The Saints entered 2026 with an unproven quarterback, an aging roster and relatively modest expectations.

Two weeks later, both teams have become considerably more interesting.

Las Vegas is 2–0 after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 26–14. New Orleans is 1–1 after Tyler Shough engineered a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to upset the Baltimore Ravens 24–17 on the road.

Sunday’s meeting at the Caesars Superdome will help determine which team deserves to be taken seriously.

A Raiders victory would make Las Vegas 3–0 and establish it as a legitimate challenger to Kansas City in the AFC West. A Saints victory would give New Orleans consecutive wins over Baltimore and Las Vegas while strengthening its position in an NFC South that suddenly appears wide open.

One of the NFL’s most surprising early-season teams will leave New Orleans with its credibility significantly enhanced.

Kirk Cousins Has Transformed the Raiders’ Offense

The Raiders did not need Cousins to become an MVP candidate. They needed him to stabilize a position that had prevented the organization from building any sustainable offensive identity.

Through two games, Cousins has done considerably more than that.

The veteran quarterback has thrown six touchdown passes—three in each of Las Vegas’ first two games—and helped the Raiders become one of the NFL’s most surprising undefeated teams.

Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against the Chargers. He attacked Los Angeles vertically, distributed the football to multiple receivers and remained composed when the Chargers threatened to make the game competitive.

The performance was historic. Cousins became the first Raiders quarterback since Ken Stabler in 1976 to throw at least three touchdown passes in each of the season’s first two games.

That does not mean Cousins has suddenly become a different player. He remains a traditional pocket passer who performs best when the protection holds and the offense stays on schedule. What has changed is the environment around him.

Head coach Klint Kubiak has built an offense that fits Cousins’ strengths. The Raiders are using movement, creative formations and play-action concepts to help their quarterback diagnose coverage and deliver the football on time.

Las Vegas finally looks like it has an offensive plan.

Unexpected Players Are Producing for Las Vegas

The Raiders’ early success is even more impressive because it has not depended entirely upon their most recognizable offensive players.

Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has yet to dominate, while star tight end Brock Bowers has been sidelined by a knee injury. Las Vegas has compensated by receiving major performances from unlikely contributors.

Tre Tucker caught five passes for 119 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. His ability to stretch the field gave Cousins a consistent vertical option and prevented Los Angeles from crowding the line of scrimmage.

Cody White became an even bigger surprise.

The former practice-squad receiver caught two touchdown passes in the second half, including an 11-yard score that helped the Raiders pull away. White took advantage of his opportunities and gave Cousins a dependable target in scoring territory.

Las Vegas cannot assume those performances will continue every week, but they demonstrate that the offense has developed genuine depth.

If Bowers returns and Jeanty begins producing consistently, Cousins could have one of the most versatile collections of weapons in the AFC.

The Raiders’ Defense Might Be the Bigger Story

Cousins’ six touchdown passes have generated the headlines, but Las Vegas’ defense has played an equally important role in the 2–0 start.

The Raiders pressured Justin Herbert, forced him into two interceptions and limited him to 192 passing yards. Rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses recorded both interceptions in his first NFL start, immediately rewarding the coaching staff’s confidence.

Maxx Crosby repeatedly disrupted the Chargers’ protection. Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker each produced 10 tackles, while Dean forced the late fumble that effectively ended Los Angeles’ comeback attempt.

The Chargers fumbled six times, and Las Vegas created two interceptions, three sacks and a safety.

Those numbers suggest the Raiders’ defensive success was not accidental.

Las Vegas is playing aggressively, tackling well and creating the type of negative plays that allow Cousins to operate without constantly chasing the scoreboard.

The Raiders may not possess an elite defense yet. They have shown enough through two weeks, however, to make that possibility worth considering.

Tyler Shough Refused to Let the Saints Lose

New Orleans’ record is not perfect, but its performance in Baltimore may have been more impressive than many 2–0 starts around the league.

The Saints trailed the Ravens 14–3 during the second quarter and entered the fourth quarter down 17–9. Baltimore had controlled most of the afternoon, and New Orleans had failed to establish its running game.

Shough changed everything.

He connected with Chris Olave for a touchdown and then completed the two-point conversion to Travis Etienne Jr., tying the game at 17. On New Orleans’ next possession, Shough led another pressure-filled drive and scored the winning touchdown himself on a one-yard fourth-down run with 1:28 remaining.

Julian Blackmon intercepted Lamar Jackson on Baltimore’s final possession to secure the 24–17 victory.

Shough completed 27 of 34 passes for 252 yards, threw one touchdown and scored another. Olave caught eight passes for 86 yards, while Juwan Johnson and Devaughn Vele provided important complementary production.

The Saints did not simply benefit from Baltimore mistakes. Their quarterback led two decisive fourth-quarter drives in one of the NFL’s most difficult road environments.

That is the kind of performance that can change how a locker room views its entire season.

New Orleans Must Fix Its Slow Starts

The victory over Baltimore demonstrated the Saints’ resilience. It also exposed their biggest early-season problem.

New Orleans continues to start games slowly.

The Saints have scored only six first-half points through two games. They needed a frantic comeback to force overtime against Detroit and another fourth-quarter surge to defeat Baltimore.

That approach is not sustainable.

New Orleans cannot expect Shough to rescue the offense every week after spending three quarters trying to establish rhythm. The Saints must find a way to involve Olave earlier, generate more production from the running game and avoid consistently playing from behind.

The rushing attack produced only 65 yards on 27 attempts against Baltimore—an average of 2.4 yards per carry. Etienne and Alvin Kamara are talented enough to provide more than that.

If the Saints become one-dimensional against Las Vegas, Crosby and the Raiders’ pass rush will be able to attack Shough without worrying about the run.

New Orleans’ fourth-quarter offense has been exciting. Its first-half offense has been an unnecessary liability.

This Game Will Test Both Quarterbacks Differently

Cousins and Shough arrive at this matchup from opposite points in their careers.

Cousins is an established veteran playing for another new organization. He has experienced playoff games, major contracts, significant injuries and constant debate about whether he can win at the highest level.

Shough is still attempting to establish himself as New Orleans’ long-term answer.

Cousins will be tested by the Superdome crowd and a Saints defense that just shut out Baltimore during the fourth quarter. He must handle noise, protect the football and avoid allowing New Orleans’ pass rush to create momentum.

Shough will face an opportunistic Las Vegas secondary that just intercepted Herbert twice. The Raiders will likely pressure him, disguise coverages and attempt to force him into hurried decisions.

The quarterback who remains patient will give his team an enormous advantage.

Is Las Vegas Ready to Challenge Kansas City?

The Raiders’ 2–0 record has placed them alongside Kansas City at the top of the AFC West.

Nobody should declare the Chiefs’ division dominance finished after two weeks, but Las Vegas has already changed the conversation. The Raiders are no longer merely an interesting rebuilding team. They have become a potential playoff contender.

Starting 3–0 would make that argument considerably stronger.

Las Vegas would own two road victories, a divisional win over the Chargers and a victory in one of the league’s loudest environments. Cousins would have demonstrated that his hot start could travel, and Kubiak would have three wins to support the idea that his coaching system is sustainable.

The Raiders’ schedule will become more demanding, and weaknesses will eventually emerge. An undefeated September would give them enough credibility to survive those inevitable setbacks.

The Saints Can Seize Control of the NFC South Race

New Orleans has a similar opportunity.

Tampa Bay and Atlanta are both 0–2. Carolina is coming off an impressive victory, but the Panthers remain largely unproven. No team has established clear control over the NFC South.

A victory over Las Vegas would make the Saints 2–1 with consecutive wins against quality opponents. It would also give New Orleans valuable momentum entering the remainder of its three-game homestand.

More importantly, another strong performance from Shough would strengthen the belief that the Saints have found their quarterback.

New Orleans does not need Shough to be perfect. It needs him to continue demonstrating the accuracy, composure and toughness he showed in Baltimore.

If he does that, the Saints could be much more than a rebuilding team playing in a weak division.

Sunday Will Reveal Which Surprise Is Real

Neither Las Vegas nor New Orleans entered the season with enormous expectations. That is precisely what makes this matchup so compelling.

The Raiders are attempting to prove that their undefeated start represents genuine improvement rather than two fortunate afternoons. The Saints are trying to prove that their comeback in Baltimore was the beginning of something meaningful.

Las Vegas brings the more experienced quarterback, the better record and a defense that just overwhelmed Herbert. New Orleans brings home-field advantage, an emerging young quarterback and the confidence created by one of Week 2’s biggest upsets.

The Raiders can leave New Orleans at 3–0 and force the entire league to treat them like a contender.

The Saints can defeat another respected opponent and establish themselves as a serious threat in the NFC South.

One of these surprising teams will leave Sunday with considerably more credibility. The other will return to facing the questions that followed it into the season.