The New Orleans Saints are set to face their former offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, as a first-time head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. Kubiak was the Saints’ offensive playcaller throughout the 2024 season before helping to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship in the same role last season.
Now, as Las Vegas’ head coach, he’s stepped into a larger role but has continued the same offensive success he’s enjoyed at previous stops.
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan saw Kubiak’s offense up-close and personal in practices and on the sideline in 2024. Ahead of his chance to lock horns with Kubiak in live action on Sunday, Jordan broke down an important element of what’s to be expected.
“He’s an aggressive type,” said Jordan. “He likes to attack with multiplicity in terms of personnels and that’s something that you have to be aware of at the end of the day. He has elite talent.”
Kubiak’s aggressive approach is bolstered by the talent that Jordan referenced. Running back Ashton Jeanty was the No. 6 overall selection in 2025, tight end Brock Bowers was another top-15 selection in 2024 and in the previous year, former Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer was selected in the second round.
All of those weapons are pioneered, for now, by veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who processes defenses quickly and often makes good decisions.
The combination is a dangerous offense that’s averaging 26.5 points per game, T-No. 10 in the NFL.
The outside rushing attack has led the offense’s run game thus far, while Cousins attacks defenses primarily in the short area of the field, moving his offense down the field meticulously and with patience.
The aggressiveness comes from the consistent attack, even if it lives close to the line of scrimmage. Despite that condensing of the offense, the Raiders are top-10 in the NFL in EPA per pass and are tied for the most passing touchdowns in the league with six.
What can work to the Saints’ advantage is that the Raiders have the lower yards-per-carry-average in the NFL at just 2.8 rushing yards per attempt. That comes despite a fast start against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. A lot of the aggressiveness that becomes available to the team is built through its run game.
Stifle the run, snuff out the opportunity to build an aggressive attack and the Saints’ defense accomplish what it has done over the first two weeks of the season: give quarterback Tyler Shough and the offense a chance.
