It’s been a roller coaster of a season for the New Orleans Saints. A seven-game losing streak followed a great 2-0 start and their coach Dennis Allen was fired as a result. Since then, the Black and Gold are 3-3 under interim head coach Darren Rizzi.
For as bad as it’s been for the Saints this season, it’s been even worse for the Raiders. Las Vegas has three wins to their name this year and two of them came in the first four weeks. Their most recent win was last week when they beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 19-14.
Kickoff inside the Caesars Superdome is set for noon on Sunday, December 29th.
STAR POWER MISSING
If you plan to watch each team’s best players make big plays in Sunday’s contest, then it’s time to reset your expectations.
The Saints won’t have players such as Alvin Kamara, who leads the team in rushing and receiving, Derek Carr, and a couple of starting interior offensive linemen. New Orleans also hasn’t had other key contributors in wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, cornerback Paulson Adebo, and Tight End Taysom Hill since the early and middle parts of the season.
Las Vegas hasn’t had it any easier with injuries either. The Raiders have gone through a quarterback carousel in 2024. Starting quarterback Gardner Minshew was placed on IR over a month ago due to a collarbone injury and had more interceptions than touchdowns thrown at that point. Since then, Vegas has gone back and forth between playing second-year signal caller Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder.
The Raiders have 11 players on IR, four of them playing on the defensive line. Two of the players were the anchors to their defense, Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins. Las Vegas built that unit around those two and neither has been available since October and the early part of December.
ANOTHER START FOR RATTLER
Carr is officially listed as out for the third consecutive game due to a concussion and fractured left hand. Spencer Rattler will get the start again in the dome for New Orleans. The former South Carolina Gamecock hasn’t wowed anyone in his four starts this season.
In those starts, Rattler has completed 57% of his passes for 724 yards and one touchdown compared to three interceptions. The Saints lost all four of those games and were outscored 144 to 45. The most recent loss was last Monday Night to the Green Bay Packers 34-0.
In the one game he didn’t start, Rattler was subbed in for the second half and almost helped New Orleans overcome a 17-point second-half deficit. The former fifth-round pick threw for 135 yards and a touchdown on the final play in regulation. His pass on the two-point try fell incomplete and the epic comeback fell one play short.
There’s been next to no help for Rattler in each of the games he’s played in and won’t have his most dynamic playmaker in Kamara either on Sunday.
STILL NO CHRIS OLAVE
Rattler will have only backups and practice squad players to throw to as Chris Olave won’t make his return to the field this week either.
The 24-year-old receiver hasn’t suited up for the Saints since the loss to Carolina on November 3rd. In that game, Olave was knocked out of the game with a concussion. The head injuries are the reason for the former Ohio State Buckeye missing so many games this season.
Since 2020, Olave has suffered five head injuries, four coming since being drafted by the Saints and two were within a month of each other and he was struck in the head in between those other concussions. The concussions were piling up fast and the organization put Olave on IR before any other damage could occur.
Reports have shown Olave is in a good place and was a full participant in all of this week’s practices. He has one more week to play before the regular season comes to an end.
SERIES RECORD: Tied 7-7-1
Last 5 Meetings:
2022: SAINTS 24 – RAIDERS 0
2020: RAIDERS 34 – SAINTS 24
2016: RAIDERS 35 – SAINTS 34
2012: SAINTS 38 – RAIDERS 17
2008: SAINTS 34 – RAIDERS 3
STAT LEADERS:
Saints
Derek Carr: 189-279, 2,145 Yards, 15 TD, 5 INT
Alvin Kamara: 228 Carries, 950 Yards, 6 TD
Alvin Kamara: 68 Catches, 543 Yards, 2 TD
Bryan Bresee: 7.5 Sacks
Demario Davis: 114 Tackles (57 Solo)
Tyrann Mathieu & Paulson Adebo: 3 INT
Blake Grupe: 22-of-26 Field Goals, Long of 57, 29-of-31 PAT
Raiders
Gardner Minshew: 203-306, 2,013 Yards, 9 TD, 10 INT
Alexander Mattison: 116 Carries, 368 Yards, 4 TD
Brock Bowers: 101 Catches, 1,067 Yards, 4 TD
Maxx Crosby: 7.5 Sacks
Robert Spillane: 134 Tackles (81 Solo)
Jack Jones, Robert Spillane & Tre’Von Moehrig: 2 INT
Daniel Carlson: 28-of-34 Field Goals, Long of 54, 20-of-21 PAT
INJURY REPORT:
Saints
Derek Carr, QB, Left Hand, Out
Alvin Kamara, RB, Groin, Out
Erik McCoy, C, Elbow, Out
Lucas Patrick, LG, Knee, Out
Juwan Johnson, TE, Foot, Questionable
Nathan Shepherd, DT, Eye, Questionable
Payton Turner, De, Ankle, Questionable
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Chest, Questionable
Chris Olave, WR, Head, Out
Rico Payton, CB, Illness, Questionable
Raiders
Kanai Mauga, LB, Calf, Questionable
Jordan Meredith, G, Ankle, Out
Jackson Power-Johnson, G, Quadricep/Ankle, Questionable
Dylan Laube, RB, Illness, Questionable
K’Lavon Chaisson, DE, Foot, Questionable
Nate Hobbs, CB, Illness, Questionable
