We’re only two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, but already several teams are defying preseason expectations.
We examine how four of these teams have gotten off to 2-0 starts, beginning with a unit that no one would have expected to be the best in the league to begin the season.
Note that all stats are courtesy of TruMedia unless otherwise stated.
The Derek Carr-Led Saints Offense Stomps the Cowboys
Putting up 47 points on the hapless Panthers is one thing. But the Saints’ destruction of the Cowboys in Dallas should have everyone’s attention. New Orleans’ historically prolific early-season offense evokes the Drew Brees era.
The Saints’ offense scored on each of their 15 possessions of the season with Derek Carr at QB, including touchdowns on six straight drives to begin Sunday’s win.
For the season, New Orleans has scored 91 points. That puts the Saints in an exclusive list of most points scored through two games, per Stathead:
- 1968 Oakland Raiders: 95
- 2009 New Orleans Saints: 93
- 1920 Rock Island Independents: 93
- 2024 New Orleans Saints: 91
- 1971 Dallas Cowboys: 91
Last season’s offense was competent but uninspiring, ranking 12th in EPA per play (-0.02). So far this season, the Saints are averaging an absurd 0.32 EPA per play, double the second-best team through the 1 p.m. ET window (Chiefs at 0.16).
New Orleans has been a big play machine, producing three scores of 50+ scrimmage yards. They had four total plays of 50+ yards during the entire 2023 season.
Next week will see New Orleans return home to face an Eagles team coming off a short week after Monday Night Football, providing an opportunity to continue the fireworks at the Superdome.
Vikings Lock Down 49ers
Many expected Minnesota to take a step back after losing Kirk Cousins to free agency while also missing offensive weapons T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison in the early going. But the Vikings are 2-0 after a stingy defensive performance to beat the 49ers, the second straight year they’ve beaten the reigning NFC champs at home.
The defense allowed some late yardage but held the Niners to 2-10 on third downs. Through two games, the Vikings are holding teams to 33% on third downs after allowing a 41% third down conversion rate last season (ranked 26th).
Minnesota held Brock Purdy to -0.11 EPA per dropback, just the fourth time in 23 career starts that he has posted a negative EPA per dropback.
The Vikings have a top 5 Defense in the NFL pic.twitter.com/axcmS5P6vU
— Cam (@42Cyc) September 15, 2024
On the other side of the ball, Sam Darnold continued his steady start, passing for multiple TDs in consecutive games for the first time since 2019. However, the Vikings could be hard-pressed to continue their fast start if All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson remains sidelined.
Jefferson suffered a quad contusion in the third quarter and did not return. Prior to departing, he recorded a 97-yard TD, the second-longest in Vikings history behind Bernard Berrian’s 99-yard receiving TD in 2008 against the Bears.
Buccaneers Earn Revenge Win Over Lions to Improve to 2-0
The Buccaneers returned to the site where their season ended last year in a Divisional Round loss at Ford Field. This time, Tampa Bay was able to limit the Detroit offense, holding the Lions to 16 points despite 10 of Detroit’s 11 drives reaching Tampa Bay territory.
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Tampa Bay was outgained by 247 yards (463-216), the largest negative differential in a win since the Dolphins in 2022 vs the Bills. But the Bucs were able to take the bend-but-don’t-break mantra to the extreme, turning the Lions over on downs on each of their final two drives. That allowed Tampa to overcome a much shakier offensive performance that saw Baker Mayfield sacked five times, all by Aidan Hutchinson.
The Bucs are now 2-0 for the fourth straight season, the only team in the NFL that can say that.
Chargers Beat Panthers With Defense and Run Game
Two games in, Jim Harbaugh has already established his preferred identity with the Chargers.
While wins over the Raiders and Panthers do not exactly validate the Chargers as bonafide playoff contenders, it’s clear that Los Angeles has already morphed into a team centered around run game and defense.
The Chargers have allowed only 13 points through two games, their fewest to begin a season since 2006. That team went 14-2 and earned the top seed in the AFC.
JK DOBBINS RUNNING THROUGH EVERYBODY.
📺: #LACvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/IrANF2mYTR— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
The Chargers’ pass defense has allowed only 5.8 yards per attempt. Last year, they allowed 7.7 yards per attempt, which ranked 28th in the NFL.
In addition, J.K. Dobbins has emerged as a big-play threat despite missing all but one game last season with an Achilles injury. Through two games this year, Dobbins is averaging 9.9 yards per rush and has produced seven rushes of 10+ yards. The Chargers had the third-fewest rush attempts of 10+ yards in 2023 (33).
With a home-run rushing attack and a surprisingly stingy defense, the onus is no longer solely on Justin Herbert to carry the team.
Kyler Murray Perfect As Cardinals Stomp Rams
The Cardinals have been doormats for the Rams in recent seasons, going 2-12 vs. Los Angeles since Sean McVay took over in 2017.
But Arizona flipped that script decisively on Sunday, with a 31-point win representing the team’s second-largest win over the Rams in franchise history — behind a 38-point win in 2016.
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Kyler Murray had a perfect 158.3 passer rating, joining Kurt Warner (2008 vs Dolphins) as the only players in Cardinals history to post a perfect passer rating in a game (min. 20 attempts). Murray also added 59 rushing yards, his most since he tore his ACL in December 2022.
After a quiet debut in Week 1, fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. had the type of monster game most expect. Harrison Jr. had 130 receiving yards and two TDs, all in the first half. It was the most receiving yards by a Cardinals player in the first half of a game since Larry Fitzgerald in 2007 vs. the St. Louis Rams.
Chiefs 2-0 Without Travis Kelce Clicking Yet
No Chiefs win is a surprise, as three Super Bowl victories in the last five seasons have taught us. But while no one should be shocked by a 2-0 start, it’s impressive that Kansas City has beaten both the Ravens and Bengals without getting All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce going.
Through two games, Kelce has caught a total of four passes for 39 receiving yards. That represents his fewest receiving yards in any two-game span since Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018. Mahomes himself has not been his typical uber-efficient self, throwing three TDs to three interceptions early on.
That the Chiefs have still managed to beat two potential playoff foes speaks to the overall strength of their team and their unrelenting ability to execute down the stretch of close games.
All this makes another Chiefs Super Bowl run feel inevitable, even as we sit four months away from playoff season.