Raiders Rumors: 'It Shocks' NFL Exec That Derek Carr, Las Vegas Beat Ravens, Steelers

Seven NFL teams are 2-0 through two weeks, but no one has a better early-season resume than the Las Vegas Raiders.

Derek Carr led the Raiders to a Week 1 33-27 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens before going on the road in a short week to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-17. It was a pair of wins that surprised some industry insiders.

"I'm shocked they beat Baltimore," one executive told Mike Sando of The Athletic. "I don't think Pittsburgh is good; they really faded last year. But it's Pittsburgh, who beat Buffalo, had confidence, and it's a complex defensive scheme, and you played Monday night, and now you are coming in for a 10 a.m. (Pacific time) game. It shocks me that they won."

The wins are even more impressive when you consider what the opponents did in their other games against fellow AFC heavyweights. The Steelers defeated the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, while the Ravens knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.

Though it's only two games, the Raiders have positioned themselves toward the top of the AFC hierarchy.

Las Vegas hasn't had a winning season in the last four seasons, including three under head coach Jon Gruden. Vegas Insider had their over/under win total set at seven, with only six teams listed with fewer expected wins.

There also weren't many offseason changes after going 8-8 last season. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue was the most notable free-agent signing, while the team's first-round draft pick was used on offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood.

The team is still in great shape so far in 2021 thanks to the improved play of Carr, who leads the NFL with 817 passing yards through two games. His current 104.1 quarterback rating would be the best of his career over a full season.

However, we've seen this before.

Just last season, the Raiders started 2-0 and eventually reached a 6-3 mark before a late-season collapse put them out of playoff contention. The squad was also 6-4 in 2019 before losing five of the last six.

Carr and Gruden will look to avoid that fate in 2021.