Inside the Numbers delves into NFL statistics, streaks, and trends each week. The New Orleans Saints are defying the trend of struggling passing offenses that have plagued the start of this NFL season. Led by Derek Carr, the Saints have exhibited an early efficiency rarely seen before in the league. Following a remarkable 47-point performance in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers, the Saints continued their success by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 44-19, making them just the fifth team in NFL history to score at least 44 points in each of the first two games of a season.
New Orleans achieved this feat most recently in 2009, coinciding with their sole Super Bowl victory. The other occurrences took place before the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, with the Raiders achieving it in 1968, Detroit in 1962, and the Rock Island Independents in 1920. Under the guidance of new coordinator Klint Kubiak, the Saints, with Carr at QB, scored on their first 15 drives of the season, an unprecedented feat in the league’s history according to Sportradar data.
In stark contrast to the success of the Saints, the overall offensive performance in the NFL has been lackluster, with a significant drop in offensive touchdowns and passing yards. While Carr has only thrown for 443 yards in the first two weeks due to blowout victories leading to a reliance on the running game, the league has seen a decrease in 300-yard passing games. On the other hand, NFC South team Bryce Young, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, has struggled significantly, resulting in his benching just two games into his second season, becoming the first top pick QB to lose his starting job in the second season for non-injury related reasons.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers have adopted a winning formula under coach Mike Tomlin, securing victories primarily through field goals rather than touchdowns. The Giants experienced a rare loss despite scoring more touchdowns than their opponents, an occurrence that has been extremely uncommon in NFL history.
In a historic milestone, the Green Bay Packers became the first team ever to secure 800 regular-season wins in NFL history with their recent victory over the Indianapolis Colts. This achievement solidifies the Packers’ position as the winningest team in NFL history, surpassing the Chicago Bears, who now sit at second place with 794 wins. The New York Giants trail with 721 victories. Green Bay also leads the league with 13 titles, including three won before the inception of playoffs.
