Are the Saints legitimate championship contenders? This is the question the football world is seeking an answer to, and it's valid because New Orleans has exploded in the first two weeks. 

After New Orleans dominated the Panthers, the football world took notice, but it wasn't overly serious. They beat a team that defines incompetency, but they did the exact same thing to the Dallas Cowboys. This FORCED the football world take notice, and the same goes for the Cold, Hard Football Facts proprietary statistics.

New Orleans is currently first in the Quality Stats Power Rankings, and they're extremely well rounded. The most indicative stat for championship football teams is Real Quarterback Rating and Offensive Passer Rating. 

Derek Carr is first in both these metrics, which is remarkable considering he was 12th in Real QBR one year ago. Carr was bound to improve, but his efficiency through two weeks is remarkable. 

Carr has also benefited from a great run game with Alvin Kamara. Kamara has carried the ball 35 times for 198 yards and four touchdowns on the season. His 5.7 yards per carry average is bound to drop, but his rushing ability has been impressive to watch. 

Kamara has led the Saints to ranking first in Offensive Rusher Rating, and first in Scoreability. The offense will cool off, but their big play ability has been impressive. Even though they faced the Panthers in one game, their offensive weapons have embarrassed their professional counterparts. 

The Saints have also been dominant on defense this season. They rank first in Defensive Passer Rating, 6th in Defensive Rusher Rating and 2nd in Defensive Hog Index. 

We need more data to see if the Saints are totally legitimate, but there is no denying this team has the framework to be contenders. Whether they're contending for a division title or conference championship is still to be determined, but the Cold, Hard Football Facts have shown New Orleans can be very competitive in 2024.