Derek Carr and Raiders impress, Titans, Bills bounce back in Week 2 takeaways – The Athletic

The Bills and Titans bounced back from rough Week 1 performances, the Rams and Raiders kept rolling, and the Vikings and Chargers lost heartbreakers. Here’s what The Athletic’s  Jeff Howe, Ted Nguyen and Dan Pompei had to say after Week 2’s afternoon games wrapped up.

What surprised you most from Sunday’s action?

Pompei: The Saints putting up only seven points and 128 yards after getting 38 points and 322 yards the week before. They obviously were stressed after an unusual week with eight coaches missing because of COVID-19 issues, but they were stressed last week, too. Sean Payton usually thrives when faced with adversity. This was just the third time in his career that his team was shut out through three quarters. The 128 yards were the lowest in Payton’s tenure.

Howe: The Raiders are off to an impressive start, and they deserve credit for keeping it going after the Monday night thriller against the Ravens and flying across the country on a short week. Furthermore, they knocked off a Steelers team that figures to be an AFC contender.