Make New York Post a Preferred Source Tyler Shough (6) of the New Orleans Saints looks on prior to a game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. Getty Images The Saints and Raiders both have some buzz going into Week 3.
The Raiders are 2-0 for the first time in five seasons and the Saints look like they’ve continued to build on the success they found late last season.
The two teams will meet in Sunday’s late-afternoon window for the Saints’ home opener in New Orleans.
It’s the 20th anniversary of the “Domecoming,” the first game played back in the Superdome in 2006, one year after Hurricane Katrina, so we can expect an especially boisterous crowd in attendance.
The books give the Saints a narrow edge in the game with the spread sitting a -3.5 and the Over/Under holding at 43.5 total points.
There’s always a bit of overreaction in the early weeks of a season; small sample sizes can lead to unexpected results.
When the Raiders beat the Dolphins in Week 1, they established that they are, at the very least, better than the bottom barrel teams in the NFL.
Beating the Chargers as soundly as they did caught the league’s attention.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) warms up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Sunday, September 20, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Now, the Raiders have a chance to go 3-0 and could be leading the division outright for the first time since 2021 depending on how the games shake out this week.
Kirk Cousins came into the season as a bridge quarterback and so far he’s been good enough to keep No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza on the bench.
He’s tied for the lead in passing touchdowns with six scores through the air.
On the Saints’ side, Tyler Shough has shown that the massive numbers he put up to end the 2025 season were not a fluke.
He currently leads the NFL with 331 passing yards per game and went toe-to-toe with Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson.
The Raiders defense has solid numbers, but that’s likely a result of them playing the Dolphins and Chargers, two of the worst offenses in the league to this point in the season.
This will be their first real test against an offense that has explosive ability.
Both teams have shown the ability to put up points through two weeks, but the books aren’t sold on their ability to score.
I’m willing to take a stab at the Over at 43.5 in a game where the conditions could be ripe for fireworks.
The Pick: Over 43.5 (-110, bet365)
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
