For the first time since 2021, which, for perspective, was the final, email-scandal-truncated year of Jon Gruden's second run as head coach, the Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0. Things have gone very well so far, as Klint Kubiak is laying what Raider Nation hopes will be a stable and sustainable foundation.
One of the first two games was easy to see as highly winnable going into it, while the other was a true upset of a division rival. But when it came down to it, the Raiders took and held onto leads in both contests, and it was easy to see a path to winning by even more in both.
Entering Week 3, the Raiders have the third-best point differential in the NFL (+26). That was on no one's bingo card entering the 2026 NFL season, and skeptics will surely point to a looming correction being in play.
Raiders fans can and absolutely should bathe in the glory of a 2-0 start, and beyond that, the good track the team seems to already be on under Kubiak. An alternative could be being a fan of the 0-2 Los Angeles Chargers, who always seem to find new ways to present themselves as rudderless.
That being said, here are three reasons to pump the brakes on the hype that has accompanied the Raiders' unexpected 2-0 start.
3 reasons to pump the brakes on the hype of the Raiders' 2-0 start
1. The offensive line took a step back in Week 2
As much as everyone wants to see Fernando Mendoza play, protecting 38-year-old Kirk Cousins better is in obvious order. The Miami Dolphins hardly touched him in Week 1, as expected, but the Chargers sacked him twice and hit him 10 more times in Week 2.
With some formidable defensive lines coming up on the schedule, failure to tighten up pass protection in front of Cousins could turn the Mendoza meter up to a 10 in short order. And if they can't pave lanes in the run game, that will derail the offensive approach even more.
2. The Dolphins and Chargers are both a mess
The Dolphins finally tore their roster down to launch a rebuild during the offseason, and they might be the worst team in the NFL. The Raiders beat them by 14 in Week 1, and if not for a lackluster second half from Cousins, it would have been more.
No team gets in its own way quite like the Chargers do, either, and Week 2 against the Raiders was just the latest example. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was supposed to unlock a new level for Justin Herbert, and while it has only been two games, optimism that it will happen is no longer high.
Credit to the Raiders for pouncing on the vulnerability a supposedly better team showed. In the past, they would have found a way to lose. But the Chargers were begging to be beaten, like Rocky Balboa during the first fight against Clubber Lang in Rocky III. And other teams may pose stiffer challenges.
3. The upcoming schedule
Here's a look at the Raiders' upcoming schedule.
Week 3 - @ New Orleans Saints
Week 4 - vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5 - @ New England Patriots
Week 6 - vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 7 - vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week 8 - @ New York Jets
Week 9 - @ San Francisco 49ers
The Saints are 1-1, but they are a failed two-point conversion in Week 1 (or a properly called fumble by Jared Goff that should've resulted in a defensive touchdown) away from being 2-0. The Chiefs are 2-0 and seem to be "back."
The defending AFC Champion Patriots haven't looked very good so far, and they'll be without wide receiver A.J. Brown for the game against the Raiders. Still, it will be a challenge to go to Foxboro and leave with a win.
The Bills are 2-0, and Josh Allen is on an early track for another MVP award. Enough said. The Rams got back on track in Week 2 after a rough Week 1 trip to Australia, and they look like a Super Bowl contender again. Myles Garrett also might be back for the game against the Raiders.
Like the Saints, the Jets are also a whisper away from being 2-0. The 49ers are an impressive 2-0, with a blowout win over the Rams followed by a domination of the Dolphins, and have looked very good despite an injury-hit group of pass catchers.
Objectively, how many of their next seven games will the Raiders be favored to win? One? How many will they have a realistic chance to win? Two? Maybe three? Anything can happen in any week, but an "any given Sunday" vibe can only go so far in fostering realistic optimism.
A 2-0 start could easily become a 3-6 record for the Raiders in mid-November, and no one should be shocked if that happens.
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