By the numbers: 5 Saints stats that tell the story of Week 2

The New Orleans Saints are off to their best start since their 2009 Super Bowl championship season, as far as points, with a 47-10 win over hapless Carolina in the opener and a 44-19 destruction of a much higher-regarded Dallas on the road. Now, it's back home to face Philadelphia, which will have to travel after a 22-21 Monday Night Football loss to Atlanta. The Saints have not opened 3-0 since 2013.

Week 2 Saints stats you need to know

Derek Carr: 96.2 quarterback rating leads the NFL

Second-year Saints quarterback Derek Carr was often booed in 2023 as the Saints' offense was consistently lifeless under coordinator Pete Carmichael during a lackluster 9-8 season. All Carr has done so far this season under new coordinator Klint Kubiak is lead the Saints to 11 touchdowns and four field goals in his first 15 possessions of the year. He took New Orleans to touchdowns on its first six possessions at Dallas and averaged 10 yards a play through the first three quarters.

Carr's 15.2 yards per attempt average at Dallas was the best of his 11-year career as he completed 11 of 16 for 243 yards and two touchdowns with a 70-yard strike to Rashid Shaheed. His pass efficiency rating of 142.4 leads the NFL as does his QBR of 96.2.

"What our guys have done in the first two weeks is really incredible," Carr said. "So far, it's been awesome."

Rashid Shaheed: Already has 70- and 59-yard TDs

Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed set the tone for the Saints' opening win over Carolina with a 59-yard touchdown catch on the fifth play of the game. Carr found him again at Dallas from 70 yards out for a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, and the rout was on.

Shaheed, an undrafted free agent out of Weber State in 2022, now has 13 catches of 40 yards or more early in just his third season. Only Miami superstar Tyreek Hill has more of that since 2022 with 17.

Alvin Kamara: 29 years young

The Saints seven-year veteran, multi-purpose back is a man without a contract extension mainly because he just turned 29, and the Saints have been slow to decide what to do with him. Kamara's five-year, $75 million deal ends with the 2025 season, but his salary jumps to $29 million in 2025, and the Saints have been expected to restructure before that kicks in and wanted to have it done by now. But it isn't.

In the meantime, Kamara has been playing like he's 22 again. He totaled 180 yards and four touchdowns at Dallas with 115 rushing and 65 on catches. He is sixth in the NFL in rushing with 198 yards.

Saints offense: Leads the NFL with 45.5 points a game

New Orleans has not scored 40 points or more in each of its first two games of a season since 2009 when it bolted out to a 13-0 start and won its only Super Bowl. Second place Arizona trails by double digits at 34.5. The 44 against "Doomsday" were the fourth most allowed by the Cowboys since 2009.

The Saints are only the eighth team since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to score 40 points or more in their first two games of a season. The 44-19 Dallas loss was its third most lopsided at home since 2009.

Saints defense: Tied for 3rd in sacks with 7

The Saints sacked Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott three times Sunday, pushing their sack total to seven for a third-place tie in the NFL. Two interceptions of Prescott gave New Orleans four for the season and tied them for second in the league.