The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into the Superdome in New Orleans to take on a red-hot Saints team. Every week in the NFL, teams must prove themselves and show what they are about. Winning the first two games against the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers is fine and dandy, but taking on the New Orleans Saints is a different story.
Saints head coach and offensive play caller/designer Kellen Moore has proven to be a second-half team on offense in the first two games. Against the Detroit Lions, the Saints didn’t score a point in the first half and scored 30 in the second half and overtime. In Week 2, the Saints only scored six points in the first half and 18 in the second half. Despite slow starts, they have produced 54 points, the 9th-highest in the league and are averaging 27 points per game.
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Through the air
Quarterback Tyler Shough, is completing 68.9% of his passes and has thrown four touchdown passes, adding one touchdown run from the goal line. Shough has also been sacked eight times and thrown two interceptions on the season. Possessing a live arm, good accuracy and decision-making, Shough is distributing the ball to his primary pass catchers frequently.
Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele are the Saints top-2 receiving options; being targeted a combined 39 times and completing 30. Accounting for nearly half of Shough’s 62 total completions while averaging 10+ yards per reception between them. Olave is arguably the best wide receiver challenge the Raiders’ young defensive backfield has seen thus far and Vele is an ascending player.
Tight end Juwan Johnson is not quite sneaky good, but a break-the-glass safety player who can get things moving in a pinch. Catching seven of his 11 targets for a respectable 120 yards and a touchdown in the young season. More of a chain mover than a game-breaker he will be a piece best utilized to clear underneath coverage for easier throws to the wideouts.
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Ground but no pound
Running the football has been an issue for the Saints. In two games, they have rushed the ball 52 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 3.0 yards per carry, it remains a work in progress. None of their featured backs are over 100 yards for the season. Collectively, they have six broken tackles. Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara are getting a combined 45.5 yards per game.
With left tackle Kelvin Banks suffering a severe high-ankle sprain requiring surgery, those run game numbers may sink even lower. The blind-side pass protection is going to take a hit too and for a defense that has forced eight fumbles and eight sacks, they should be licking their chops.
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