Brock Bowers’ expected return and season debut against the New Orleans Saints will absolutely dominate the headlines this week, but let’s be real, Raider Nation has a whole different kind of fire for this matchup. They are rolling into town with the ghost of Brandon Staley’s 63-21 annihilation hanging heavy, a game that effectively ended Staley’s run as the Chargers’ head coach on December 14, 2023. That wasn’t just a win, that was a franchise-record-setting explosion, the most points in Raiders history, all against a Staley-led defense and an interim coordinator named Bo Hardegree running the offense.
The Ghost of 63 Points Past
Think about that number for a second: 63 points. The Raiders absolutely torched Staley’s defense that day, a day etched into the minds of every fan who watched it go down. Now, that same energy, that same memory of pure offensive dominance, is undoubtedly fueling the Raiders as they face a Saints defense that, frankly, we don’t fully know yet. It’s early in the season, and their form has been a real head-scratcher, which might just play right into the Raiders’ hands and remind everyone exactly what a fully unlocked Raiders offense can do.
Saints’ Defense: Run Here, Pass There?
The Saints’ defense has been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde through two weeks. They got gashed for 31 points in an overtime loss to the Detroit Lions, letting Jared Goff sling two touchdown passes and post a 96.7 rating. Even worse, Jahmyr Gibbs went off for 29 carries, 156 yards, and two touchdown runs. Yikes. Then, they snagged a win against the Baltimore Ravens, capitalizing on the absences of Zay Flowers and Jakobi Lane. They managed to contain Lamar Jackson to 235 yards and one touchdown through the air, adding only 34 yards rushing on four carries, limiting the Ravens’ offense to 17 points and holding Derrick Henry to one touchdown and 68 yards. But even in that “good” game, Henry carried the ball 11 of his 16 times in the first half for 51 yards, then only five times for 17 yards in the second half. Running backs and dominant running games have flat-out shredded this Saints defense in both their previous contests.
Klint Kubiak’s Master Plan for Bowers and the Backs
While everyone’s buzzing about Brock Bowers’ return, and many expect a pass-heavy, tight-end-dominated day, the Saints’ past games scream a different strategy. The Raiders have two great backs in Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr., and the smart money says we’re about to see a knockdown, drag’em-out dogfight designed to control the clock. Expect 12 personnel formations early and often. Once the Saints inevitably make the mistake of committing extra bodies to stopping that run, Kirk Cousins and the play-action passing game are going to get busy. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is an absolute magician at calling plays, attacking defenses with surgical precision. In a copycat league, defensive coordinators who try to crowd the line and dictate what the Raiders do on offense are going to get scorched. Kubiak finally has his prized offensive piece back, and you can bet he’s cooked up something special no one has seen yet.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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