Overview
- The Las Vegas Raiders improved to 2-0 after a Week 2, 26-14 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers that followed a Week 1 victory over Miami.
- Kirk Cousins has opened the season with 413 passing yards, six touchdowns and a roughly 67.8% completion rate through two games, including 19-of-29 for 253 yards and three TDs in Week 2.
- Former NFL quarterback Russell Wilson publicly predicted Cousins could win Comeback Player of the Year, a prediction reported as commentary rather than a certainty.
- The Raiders have kept No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza on the bench as part of a deliberate development plan endorsed by team leaders, and owners have said they will delay Mendoza’s debut while Cousins performs.
- Las Vegas’s defense has supplied key plays, including Hezekiah Masses’ two interceptions of Justin Herbert, and the club’s 2-0 start lifted several national power rankings even as analysts warn the small sample and a tough upcoming schedule will be the real test.