Fresh off a thrilling road comeback, New Orleans brings record-breaking momentum home to face a surging Raiders squad led by a red-hot Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby.
The New Orleans Saints finally get to come home. After opening the 2026 season with two dramatic road games, including Sunday's 24-17 comeback victory in Baltimore, New Orleans will walk into the Caesars Superdome this weekend with a 1-1 record, a young quarterback playing confident football and something that hasn't been around this team nearly enough lately: momentum.
But don't mistake Sunday's home opener for a victory lap.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0 for the first time since 2021, and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown six touchdown passes through his first two games with the franchise.
So if New Orleans wants to prove its comeback in Baltimore was the beginning of something instead of simply one great Sunday, this is the next test.
And I'm putting the spotlight right back on Tyler Shough.
Shough Is Starting to Look Comfortable
Shough's first two games couldn't have been more different. Against Detroit, he threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns but committed three turnovers during a wild 31-30 overtime loss. Against Baltimore, Shough didn't need the fireworks.
He completed 27 of 34 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 79.4% completion rate. He also rushed for 23 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 1:28 remaining. Most importantly, New Orleans didn't commit a turnover and that's serious growth.
Through two games, Shough has thrown for 662 yards, the most by a Saints quarterback through the first two games of a season since Drew Brees threw for 669 in 2009.
I'm not comparing Shough to Brees. Let's make that very clear.
But when your young quarterback starts appearing next to No. 9 in franchise statistical notes, you're probably doing something right.
Las Vegas Will Test His Patience
The Raiders aren't arriving in New Orleans with an empty 2-0 record.
Las Vegas beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 Sunday and has received efficient quarterback play from Cousins, who has completed nearly 68% of his passes for 413 yards and six touchdowns through two games.
The Raiders also have defensive end Maxx Crosby waiting for Shough. That's where this game becomes interesting. Shough showed against Detroit that he can throw his team back into a football game.
Baltimore showed he can play efficiently without forcing things. Now I want to see whether he can remain patient against a defense capable of creating pressure and disrupting timing. Take the checkdown. Use Alvin Kamara. Find Juwan Johnson underneath. And when the protection holds, take your shot to Chris Olave.
The Shough-Olave Connection Keeps Growing
Olave caught eight passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in Baltimore after producing 182 receiving yards against Detroit.
That's 268 receiving yards through two games.
More importantly, Olave has become Shough's answer when New Orleans needs something.
His 22-yard touchdown against Baltimore helped erase a 17-9 fourth-quarter deficit. Travis Etienne Jr. followed with the two-point conversion, and suddenly the Saints had tied a game that appeared to be slipping away.
That trust between quarterback and receiver is becoming one of the most encouraging developments of the young season.
Now New Orleans gets to put it on display in front of the home crowd.
Don’t Forget What the Defense Just Did
The Saints' defensive performance in Baltimore deserves another mention. The Ravens entered Week 2 after scoring 41 points and generating more than 500 yards in their opener.
New Orleans held them to 17 points and 312 total yards.
The Saints also sacked Lamar Jackson three times, with Chase Young accounting for 1.5 sacks. Safety Julian Blackmon then finished the game by intercepting Jackson at the Saints' 7-yard line with 13 seconds remaining.
That's just good football. For once, Shough didn't have to win the game twice. The defense finished it.
My Two Pennies
I don't need Tyler Shough to throw for 400 yards Sunday. Give me the Baltimore version.
Complete 70-plus percent of your passes, protect the football, keep feeding Olave and use Kamara and Etienne for more balance of the playbook.
The Saints already showed they can survive chaos in Detroit. They showed they can finish in Baltimore. Now show me they can handle expectations at home.
Because a win Sunday would put New Orleans at 2-1 after facing Detroit, Baltimore and an undefeated Raiders team to begin the season.
That would be more than an encouraging start.
