The Las Vegas Raiders came to New Orleans with a 2-0 start and a chance to show their rebuild had real power. Brock Bowers helped them do exactly that. The star tight end caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, while the Raiders made the biggest plays when the Saints lost the ball. Las Vegas left the Superdome with a 35-27 win and a 3-0 record. New Orleans, hoping to build on its comeback win at Baltimore, fell to 1-2.

The Raiders struck first with two field goals by Matt Gay, but the Saints answered with quick, sharp drives. Tyler Shough burst free for a 36-yard run in the first quarter, giving New Orleans life after its slow start. Then he found Juwan Johnson for a 2-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, so the Saints led only 6-3.

Las Vegas stayed patient, using Bowers as its steady target over the middle. Kirk Cousins hit Michael Mayer for a 3-yard touchdown, putting the Raiders ahead 13-6. Before halftime, Shough led a smooth drive with Chris Olave making key catches. Noah Fant finished it with a 3-yard touchdown catch, tying the game 13-13. Yet Cousins and Bowers raced the Raiders downfield in the final seconds, and Gay’s 25-yard kick gave Las Vegas a 16-13 halftime lead.

New Orleans took charge after the break. Shough guided a 13-play drive, and Johnson caught a 1-yard touchdown for a 20-16 lead. On the next kickoff, a Raiders returner fumbled, and the Saints pounced at the Las Vegas 32. Travis Etienne Jr. then raced 16 yards, setting up Fant’s second touchdown catch. Suddenly, New Orleans led 27-16, and the Superdome had turned into a storm.

But the Raiders did not blink. Mike Washington Jr. exploded through the Saints defense for a 36-yard touchdown run after a replay changed the call from short of the goal line to a score. The two-point try failed, leaving New Orleans ahead 27-22.

The game flipped early in the fourth quarter. Maxx Crosby recovered a fumble after Malcolm Koonce’s sack of Shough, giving Las Vegas the ball near midfield. Cousins quickly found Ashton Jeanty for 22 yards, then connected with Cody White for a 4-yard touchdown. The Raiders had their first lead since halftime, 28-27.

A few minutes later, a Raiders cornerback intercepted Shough’s pass and returned it to the New Orleans 8. Though he fumbled near the goal line, Las Vegas recovered. Cousins then found Bowers for the 4-yard touchdown that made it 35-27 with 6:22 left.

Shough threw four touchdown passes and Olave caught nine passes for 107 yards, but New Orleans lost four fumbles or interceptions. Those mistakes erased 381 yards of offense. The Raiders, meanwhile, turned their defensive pressure into the winning chapter. They next face the Kansas City Chiefs, carrying an unbeaten 3-0 start. The Saints head to Atlanta needing to protect the ball and turn their bright passing attack into a complete win.

Brock Bowers and Raiders Turn Takeaways Into a 35-27 Superdome Win