Despite taking the win in Balitmore last week, the New Orleans Saints still suffered a tough loss, losing left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to an ankle injury. Out for the foreseeable future, Banks Jr.'s injury could not have come at a worse time for the team. Not only because the offense has been driving, but also because the Saints' next opponent features an underrated pass-rush.
Right tackle Tailese Fuaga will see Vegas' headliner Maxx Crosby more than anyone on the offensive line this Sunday, as the Raiders star has played a majority of his snaps on the left side of the defensive line. Playing only around 85% of the snaps in games this season compared to his typical 95%+, he is still a dominant force.
Crosby has 1.5 sacks and is top five of the league in quarterback pressures. Currently, the Raiders defense is in a three-way tie for the most sacks in the league, and it isn't just Crosby getting it done. During the home opener, more o-lineman than just Fuaga will be up against an elite pass rush.
Unfortunately for the Saints, the Raiders' pass rush this year is more than Maxx Crosby
Even if Fuaga or whoever is blocking against Crosby can keep him contained, he is still only the pass-rushing iceberg in Las Vegas. Kwity Paye, playing on the opposite side of the line, has arguably had an even better season than Crosby through two weeks with two sacks and nine pressures. Even Crosby's backup, Malcolm Koonce, has had a highlight or two.
There are many ways Kellen Moore and the offense could go about limiting the Raiders' stars. They could have a tight end help the tackle out with a chip block or perhaps lead with quick-game passing. Although they all come with their own drawbacks, like the loss of the ability to push the ball downfield or the thinning of available pass-catchers.
Asim Richards, the backup left tackle, will be the one who faces Paye when the game gets underway. He did well in place of Banks Jr., but blocking against a player who's in the zone, like Paye has been this season, is a different kind of challenge. He'll likely be needing the extra help more than Fuaga, which means that the RT has to get ready to face a multi-time Pro-Bowler one-on-one more often than not.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel here. Through the first two weeks of the season, the Saints offensive line has a 33.7% pressure rate. That percentage slots New Orleans at 13th in the league, per Sharp Football Analysis.
It's a genuinely promising sign going into this game, given that they've already faced DEs Trey Hendrickson and Aiden Hutchinson and survived to be 1-1. If they can keep that performance up against Crosby, Paye, Koonce, and the rest of the Raiders defensive line, then the season's hype train won't be stopping anytime soon.
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