NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Klint Kubiak and Kellen Moore are the last two offensive coordinators to win Super Bowls.
asserted
Kubiak → win → Bowls
Both parlayed their success into head coaching jobs, and they will be looking across the sideline at each other in the Superdome on Sunday, when Kubiak’s Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) visit Moore’s New Orleans Saints (1-1).
asserted
Raiders → parlay → Saints
That was his only season in New Orleans because Dennis Allen, the coach who brought in Kubiak, was fired that season, setting the stage for Moore to get his first head coaching job after he’d won a Super Bowl — in the Superdome — with Philadelphia.
asserted
he → bring → Philadelphia
Kubiak moved on to Seattle last season and now finds himself going head to head with a coach who, like him, is still in his 30s — Kubiak is 39, Moore 38 — and part of new generation of NFL head coaches.
asserted
Moore → move → coaches
“I’ve always loved what Klint’s done,” Moore said, referring to the way Kubiak schemes up offenses and calls plays.
asserted
Kubiak → love → plays
“He’s always done a really good job from a run game and action game perspective and giving the quarterback a chance to be successful.”
asserted
He → do → chance
The resurgence of new Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has not surprised Moore, who noted that Kubiak had Minnesota’s offense “rolling” when he was the Vikings’ coordinator, and Cousins was their QB, in 2021.
asserted
Cousins → surprise → 2021
Moore smiled while noting that he and Cousins are the same age, and got to know each other when they were assigned to the same Senior Bowl squad coming out of college.
asserted
they → smile → college
“Kirk is a really special person, special player,” Moore said.
asserted
Moore → say → ?
“He’s had a phenomenal career and it’s really cool to see what he’s doing ... to transition to Vegas, 2-0, playing good football, leading this group.”
asserted
he → have → group
Cousins’ confidence in Kubiak is apparent in the way he describes their professional relationship.
asserted
he → describe → relationship
Cousins said he’ll give Kubiak feedback about what he sees on the field but won’t lobby for particular play calls.
asserted
he → say → calls
“The phrase I’ll often say is: ‘Coach, you call it, and I ball it,’” Cousins explained.
asserted
Cousins → say → it
“Coaches handle scheme, and I think, players — it’s our job to then go execute it.”
asserted
it → handle → it
Moore, a former quarterback at Boise State and in the NFL, said Cousin’s recent form has in no way made him wonder if he, too, could still get back on the field.
uncertain
he → say → field
“I can maybe throw it about 30, 40 yards,” Moore said.
asserted
Moore → throw → yards
“I can play some arena ball, maybe.”
asserted
I → play → ball
The Saints went 6-11 in Moore’s maiden season in 2025 but finished by winning five of their last nine — and have looked increasingly competitive this season.
asserted
Saints → go → nine
First came an overtime loss at Detroit, followed by a comeback victory at Baltimore.
asserted
loss → come → Baltimore
In the process, second-year QB Tyler Shough has put up some of the best passing numbers in the NFL.
asserted
Shough → put → NFL
Those developments have the fan base in New Orleans encouraged coming into the Saints’ home opener nearly 20 years to the day of the Superdome’s reopening after Hurricane Katrina.
asserted
base → have → Katrina
“We’ve won one game, and there’s a lot of games to go,” Moore cautioned when asked about the optimism surrounding his team.
asserted
Moore → win → team
Moore emphasized that he has “a ton of respect” for the way the Raiders have been playing, and he felt they beat Miami and the Los Angeles Chargers “pretty decisively.”
asserted
they → emphasize → Miami
Kubiak, meanwhile, called the Saints “a hot team.”
asserted
Kubiak → call → Saints
“They’re playing really good football, playing in their place — very loud environment,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → play → place
Last week: Raiders beat the Chargers 26-14 on the road; Saints won 24-17 at Baltimore.
asserted
Saints → beat → Baltimore
Last meeting: Raiders won 25-10 on Dec. 29, 2024, in New Orleans.
asserted
Raiders → win → Orleans
Series record: Raiders lead 8-7-1.
asserted
Raiders → lead → ?
Crosby usually is matched up against right tackles, but the Raiders moved him and could have him test Richards situationally.
uncertain
him → match → Richards
Richards is in his fourth NFL season and performed well during the Saints’ comeback victory last weekend — a game during which starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. left with a high ankle sprain that landed him on injured reserve.
asserted
that → perform → reserve
Stats and stuff
— Las Vegas’ Kirk Cousins is the third quarterback 38 and older to throw at least three touchdown passes in each of the first two games of a season.
asserted
Cousins → throw → season
— Raiders rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses was forced into action when Darien Porter injured his foot in the season opener against Miami.
asserted
Porter → force → Miami
Masses has allowed just two receptions for 16 yards on the seven passes targeted at him so far this season, intercepting two Chargers passes.
asserted
Masses → allow → passes
— A victory would make Las Vegas 3-0 for the first time since the 2021 season.
asserted
Vegas → make → season
That’s also the last time the Raiders made the playoffs.
asserted
Raiders → ’ → playoffs
— The Raiders’ defense has an opposing passer rating of 63.2, behind only Seattle’s 59.0.
asserted
defense → have → 59.0
— Saints QB Tyler Shough leads the NFL with 62 completions and 662 yards passing through the first two weeks of this season.
asserted
Shough → lead → season
The 2025 second-round pick has won six of his first 11 NFL starts, dating back to last season.
asserted
pick → win → season
— Saints WR Chris Olave, an 11th overall draft pick out of Ohio State in 2022, ranks second in the NFL with 18 catches and 268 yards receiving.
asserted
Olave → rank → catches
— The Saints have struggled to run the ball despite the offseason signing of Travis Etienne and the return last week of Alvin Kamara from injury.
asserted
Saints → struggle → injury
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
