By the Numbers: Raiders defense and Kirk Cousins' efficiency highlight Week 2 victory over Chargers

Sep 21, 2026 at 02:36 PM

Digital Team Reporter

The Las Vegas Raiders came back from Southern California with their first 2-0 start since the 2021 season.

Reminiscent to Week 1, it was an all-around game for the Silver and Black with significant contributions in all three phases. Kirk Cousins continues to play some of his best football in a scheme he's familiar with under Klint Kubiak. Through two games, he's completed nearly 68% of his passes for 413 yards and six touchdowns. He's complemented by a defensive unit that currently ranks top 10 in the league in multiple categories.

Here's a look at a few big numbers from the 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

3

Cousins continued to make history a week after throwing his 300th career touchdown.

With his three touchdowns to Tre Tucker and Cody White on Sunday, he's now the the ninth quarterback to throw for at least three touchdowns in each of his first two starts with a team since starts were first tracked in 1950. Cousins is the second to do so in the last decade after Carson Wentz for Washington in 2022.

Adding to that accomplishment, Cousins is the third NFL quarterback at least 38 years of age with three passing touchdowns in each of his team's first two games of a season. The other two quarterbacks: Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.

"He's been phenomenal with the operations and leadership," Kubiak said of Cousins. "I can't say enough great things about No. 8."

33.7

Cody White's first catch in SoFi Stadium wasn't an easy one to come by.

On 3rd-and-10 in the red zone, Cousins gave White a chance to make a play on the ball. He launched the ball to the right side in the end zone, with the receiver clawing the ball away from Chargers rookie cornerback Rodney Shelley. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the touchdown had a 33.7% completion probability.

"It wasn't easy," White said postgame. "In that situation, it was the perfect ball for me to go out and make a play."

With White's two catches, both in the end zone, he's the first Raiders player since at least 1991 to have each of his first two catches for the team go for touchdowns.

"He's just the same guy that I knew last year," Kubiak said, who was White's offensive coordinator with the Seahawks. "I'm really proud of him and that can be said about a lot of players. When his number's called, he's making the plays."

8

The Raiders are tied for the most quarterback sacks in the league with eight. Five players have recorded at least 1.0 sack.

They're also first in a quarterback pressure rate of 50%, per Next Gen Stats.

This is even more impressive considering they're blitzing on 7.4% of dropbacks, which is tied for seventh-fewest in the league.

"I think it starts with Maxx [Crosby]," Kubiak said Monday afternoon. "Maxx demands a lot of attention, the way that he plays and the production that he has. Just really pleased by the way Robbie [Leonard] has the group playing, how [defensive line coach] Travis [Smith] is coaching the defensive line, how demanding [linebackers coach] Ronnell [Williams] is, how great of teachers [pass game coordinator] Joe Woods and [safeties coach] Matt [Robinson] are. Just our coaching staff is doing a good job putting the guys in positions to be successful."

2

In his second career NFL game, Hezekiah Masses caught two interceptions to become the first Raiders rookie with multiple interceptions in a game since Henry Williams against the Denver Broncos in 1979. Masses also allowed just two catches for 16 yards on six targets in coverage.

"The coaches gave me an opportunity and then [Justin] Herbert tried me twice and I was trying to make a play on the ball," he said.

"It's mine, man," added Masses on his mentality when the ball is thrown his way. "It ain't no 50/50, I'm trying to get every ball in the air. I'm trying to go get it."

With Treydan Stukes' interception Week 1 against the Dolphins, this is the first time two different Raiders rookies had an interception in their first two career games in the same season since Chris Cooper and Derrick Gibson in 2001.

"That's kind of the guy we've seen since he came here in April," Kubiak said of Masses. "He's been confident, he's been making plays on the ball. He's been instinctual. And it's one game; we've got to go do it again."

59

To end the first half, Matt Gay showed off his leg by making a career-long 59-yard field goal. His previous career long was 58 yards, which he knocked in with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.

The made field goal is an encouraging sign for the veteran kicker, who went 7-of-18 from beyond the 50-yard mark over the last two years. To start his 2026 campaign, he has a new career long while being a perfect 3-of-3 to start the year.

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SoFi Stadium before the Las Vegas Raiders' regular season away game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Stadium.