The Las Vegas Raiders are off to another 2-0 start after taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.

Despite the hot start, people might doubt their ability to contend this year since they've underwhelmed in this situation before. The Raiders began their 2020 campaign with a pair of victories before ultimately finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

The 2021 version of the Raiders is for real, though. That will become even more apparent in the coming weeks.

One big reason for Vegas' growth is the play of quarterback Derek Carr. The veteran has put himself atop the early-season MVP discussion after dissecting two quality AFC North defenses over the first fortnight of the campaign.

Carr began the year by going off for 435 yards and two touchdowns on 35-of-56 passing against the Baltimore Ravens. He willed his team to an overtime win on Monday Night Football, connecting on a brilliant 31-yard strike to Zay Jones to seal the victory.

Before he could become a hero on the final play, Carr first had to orchestrate three game-tying drives in the fourth quarter. This included running a frenzied hurry-up offense with less than 40 seconds on the clock and no timeouts to set up a 55-yard field goal to send the season opener to the extra frame.

The 30-year-old was even more poised against the Steelers. Carr battled against a relentless pass rush, completing over 75 percent of his passes while hanging 382 yards and two touchdowns on the Pittsburgh defense in a 26-17 win.

One reason for Carr's noticeable improvement is the ascension of wideout Bryan Edwards. Although the 2020 third-rounder hasn't accounted for a huge portion of Carr's targets, he's proving to be the reliable and sure-handed receiver the team lacked in tough situations last year.

Edwards played only 24 percent of the team's offensive snaps as a rookie. That number has jumped up to 70 percent in 2021, with a big increase in production to match. After catching only 11 balls for 193 yards last year, Edwards has already reeled in seven catches for 121 yards in two games.

The rise of Edwards, coupled with the continued development of speedster Henry Ruggs III and the All-Pro play of Darren Waller, has made this version of Carr the most dangerous he has been in his career.

There are still some causes for concern regarding the Raiders offense, mostly revolving around the offensive line. After trading away three starters this offseason, Vegas' new-look offensive line has already given up five sacks. The team is also averaging a meager 67 rushing yards per game, tied for the third-fewest in the NFL right now.

Fortunately for Vegas, Carr's otherworldly performances have still allowed the team to lead the NFL in total offense and rank seventh in points scored going into Week 3. The line should only improve with more reps, giving the unit time to jell and get some of its younger members—like first-round tackle Alex Leatherwood—valuable experience.

While Carr has been nothing short of incredible, the Raiders' defense sets this year's squad apart from head coach Jon Gruden's previous teams.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley deserves praise for his work turning that unit around in a single offseason. Vegas fired former defensive coordinator Paul Guenther before last season even wrapped up and installed Bradley in the vacant position back in January.

The decision is paying dividends for Las Vegas. Bradley has been heralded as a "no-nonsense" leader in the locker room and has earned the respect of his players in the past. Vegas now appears to be fully buying into the former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach's system.

Bradley has had success in this position before. He took the Seattle Seahawks from the No. 25 scoring defense up to the No. 1 spot by the end of his four-year run as their defensive coordinator between 2009-12. He also orchestrated the Los Angeles Chargers' third-ranked scoring defense in 2017 and had the team in the top half of the league in three of his four seasons with the club.

Bradley still employs the same 4-3 under system that he gained notoriety with during his "Legion of Boom" Seahawks days. The scheme calls for press Cover 3 and bump-and-run-style coverage. Marcus Mosher of Raiders Wire did a fantastic write-up on the gritty details of this defense that has changed Vegas' fortunes.

After giving up nearly 400 yards and 30 points per game to the opposition last year, Vegas has seemingly undergone a complete transformation on the defensive side of the ball. Through two games this year, the Raiders have allowed a shade under 370 yards and just 22 points per game.

They've managed this despite playing against a pair of teams that boasted top-12 scoring offenses during the 2020 season.

The defensive line has been particularly impressive. PFF noted that Maxx Crosby led all defenders in Week 1 with 13 pressures. RaidersBeat.com's Chris Reed highlighted one of Solomon Thomas' two sacks on Ben Roethlisberger, pointing out that he couldn't remember the last time Vegas forced a coverage sack.

Last year's Raiders recorded just 21 sacks all season long, while this version has already secured five sacks before Week 3. Vegas' plus-two turnover differential far outpaces its minus-11 figure from 2020, a mark that was tied for the second-worst in the NFL.

One of the more impressive feats the Raiders have already accomplished this year was securing a win after traveling across the country on a short week of rest.

The Raiders have long struggled with early afternoon Eastern Time Zone contests, but were able to come away with a convincing all-around victory at Heinz Field on Sunday despite facing a short week after their overtime win last Monday. Coming away with a victory in that type of situation, in that type of environment, is usually something only a good team is likely to accomplish.

Going 2-0 against a pair of 2020 playoff teams—and two of the toughest opponents on Vegas' schedule—sets the stage for a campaign that should result in at least a wild-card berth, if not an AFC West title.

Las Vegas went into the season with the eighth-toughest strength of schedule, but it now has only a handful of remaining games against teams that made the playoffs last year. It will square off with Browns, Colts and Kansas City twice between Weeks 10 and 17, a tough stretch that will test this group's mettle.

According to Nick Jacobs of KSHB 41, Bradley's defenses have been the most successful against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, whom the Raiders will have to get by to win the AFC West. 

The Raiders showed they can get through any opponent with their performances over the last two weeks. They appear ready to make their first postseason appearance since Gruden returned to the sidelines in 2018.

If they can get past the Chiefs at least once, the divisional crown may even belong to them for the first time in almost two decades.