The Las Vegas Raiders are straight up SHOCKING the NFL right now. Seriously, 3-0? Everyone, and I mean *everyone*, had this squad pegged for a full-on rebuild, a season centered around getting rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza some reps and not much else. But here we are, three weeks in, and they’re undefeated. It’s wild, man.
Kubiak’s Message Is Clear: No Rebuild Here, We’re Winning
After Sunday’s big win against the New Orleans Saints, first-year head coach Klint Kubiak laid down the law about any “rebuild” talk. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported the coach’s message to his team was a defiant, “F–k that!” Can you believe the absolute fire from that guy? That’s the kind of energy you want from your head coach, especially when everyone outside the locker room is writing you off. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby backed that sentiment up big time when he told Breer, “I mean, this is football. You’ve got to show up and play the games.” He’s right! All the offseason chatter means nothing once the whistle blows. Crosby stressed that this group is just focused “on the day-to-day,” playing for each other with “real close connections in this locker room.” That’s the kind of tight-knit crew that can pull off a second-half push on the road, snagging a huge win like they did against the Saints. You can feel the excitement building around what they’re doing.
These Wins Ain’t Cheap, They’re Earning It
Look, nobody’s saying their wins have come against the absolute cream of the crop, but don’t you dare discredit this 3-0 start. They took down a Miami Dolphins team that’s clearly struggling right now, which is a good baseline win. Then they beat the Los Angeles Chargers, a team everyone expected to be in the playoff hunt! That’s a serious statement game right there. And Sunday’s win over the Saints? New Orleans is no slouch; they pushed the Lions to overtime and even managed to upset the Ravens on the road. Those are not easy outs! So, while you probably shouldn’t be buying Super Bowl tickets just yet, it’s absolutely fair to say the Raiders are exceeding expectations and might actually make a run for the playoffs. This team has some serious fight.
Next week is the real test, though. They’ve got the Kansas City Chiefs coming up. That’s going to be an early litmus test, a true measure of where this team stands. Can they keep this momentum going against one of the league’s best? We’re all watching to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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