The Las Vegas Raiders defense has been among the best in the NFL through two games, but it faces a tough test in Week 3 against a good New Orleans Saints offense. The bad news is that they’ll be missing a key defender for this matchup.
Rookie safety Treydan Stukes suffered a concussion against the Los Angeles Chargers and had to spend the whole week in the concussion protocol. He wasn’t able to clear the protocol, so the Raiders had to officially rule him out for Sunday’s game.
Stukes was a second-round pick earlier in the offseason, and the Raiders are very high on him. He had a slow start in OTAs, but really started to come alive during training camp.
He has been a key part of the defense to start the season. Luckily, the Raiders should replace him with Isaiah Pola-Mao this week, who started in a combined 31 games over the previous two seasons. He should be a solid replacement for the young rookie.
The Raiders’ secondary has been a strength for the team, but the Saints have some good weapons on offense. This will be a good test for the young group.
Raiders Get Praise From Saints
The Raiders have arguably been the biggest surprise of the NFL. Beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 wasn’t a big achievement, but dominating the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 wasn’t something anybody saw coming.
The Raiders could be building something special. Saints head coach Kellen Moore is very impressed with what he’s seen from the team.
“I have a ton of respect for the way these guys are playing, the way they’re preparing this football team,” Moore said, via Raiders. com. “To me, these guys are doing it the right way. Their play style, their relentlessness, I love the way these guys are playing.”
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough has played well, but the Raiders will be a tough test for him. He’s not underestimating the team.
“This is a really good football team. They’re playing at a really high level right now,” Shough said.
Moore Talks Nakobe Dean
Linebacker Nakobe Dean is another player who popped up on the injury report with a shoulder issue. Fortunately, he’s headed into Week 3 with no injury designation, so he’s going to play.
He has quickly become one of the loudest voices on the Raiders’ defense and a top contributor. Moore worked with Dean when he was offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has a ton of admiration for the veteran linebacker.
“Nakobe is as smart of a linebacker as you’re going to meet in this entire league,” Moore said. “His preparation, how smart he is. … He’s a really physical player. He’s seen everything playing at Georgia and then playing in Philadelphia over those years. I think he does a really good job being the green dot in the middle of that, getting everyone on the same page.”
A big game from Dean in Week 3 would go a long way in helping the team start 3-0 since 2021.
Key Raiders Starter Ruled Out With Injury vs. Saints