Derek Carr’s debut went swimmingly for the New Orleans Saints in a 26-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday as the first week of the 2023 NFL preseason hit its final stretch. The Las Vegas Raiders concluded the action with a 34-7 thumping of the San Francisco 49ers.

In other preseason games Saturday, the Panthers struggled in the first appearance of the Bryce Young era, with the Jets securing a 27-0 road victory. The Bears got off to a fast start thanks to a pair of scoring drives engineered by Justin Fields, ultimately prevailing 23-17 over the Titans. The Bills, with Damar Hamlin making his first game appearance since suffering cardiac arrest Jan. 2, celebrated the occasion with a 23-19 victory over the Colts.

Also, the Jaguars scored a 28-23 victory over the Cowboys with Dak Prescott held out for Dallas. The Ravens, playing without Lamar Jackson, defeated a Jalen Hurts-less Eagles team 20-19. In another game lacking many big-name veterans, the Chargers took down the Rams 34-17.

Here are the biggest takeaways from each game so far — including Thursday and Friday matchups — along with the rest of the Week 1 preseason schedule.

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Raiders: Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell put himself in position to be the backup to injury-prone starter Jimmy Garoppolo with his showing against the 49ers in both teams’ exhibition opener. O’Connell has had an anything-but-steady training camp — veteran Brian Hoyer has looked the best of the Raiders’ four QBs — but with the lights on, O’Connell cooked for three quarters. A fourth-round pick from Purdue, O’Connell was only the second QB the Raiders have drafted since taking nine-year starter Derek Carr in 2014, and the rookie completed 15 of 18 passes for 141 yards, including a 9-yard TD pass, and a 117.8 passer rating. And fellow rookie Tre Tucker had drops on two of the incompletions. O’Connell bears more than a passing resemblance to Carr — he also wears No. 4 — but he looked more comfortable in coach Josh McDaniels’ scheme, even if it was a preseason game against backups. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: at Rams (9 p.m. ET, Saturday)

49ers: Trey Lance started at quarterback and played the entire first half, with a mixed bag of good, bad and a bit of luck. The Niners went three-and-out on their first three series as the backup offensive line offered little protection for Lance. When it did, Lance occasionally struggled to get through progressions and get the ball out on time. As has been the case throughout camp, Lance got better with more snaps, leading a touchdown drive that culminated with a lucky bounce into the hands of tight end Ross Dwelley for a touchdown pass rather than an interception. Lance finished 10-of-15 for 112 yards, a touchdown and a 111 passer rating but was also sacked four times and had another would-be interception dropped. To this point, it seems neither Lance nor Sam Darnold, who went 5-of-9 for 84 yards and an interception in the second half, has separated much in the battle for the Niners’ No. 2 quarterback job. That’s likely still true after Sunday in Las Vegas. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: vs. Broncos (8:30 p.m. ET Saturday)

Saints: Saints fans got to see the return of wide receiver Michael Thomas and tight end Jimmy Graham, both of whom had a catch Sunday. But Saints coaches also got to see exactly what they wanted to see: New quarterback Derek Carr managed the offense efficiently, completing 6 of 8 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. The Saints took care of a lot of things they’ve wanted to emphasize in training camp: They got Thomas the ball (a pass from Carr over the middle for 16 yards), running back Alvin Kamara was involved in both the passing and running game (three carries, two receptions), tight end Juwan Johnson made a big play and second-year left tackle Trevor Penning, coming off a Lisfranc injury last year, got extended work. The second-team offense followed that up with a quick drive that ended with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Jameis Winston to rookie wide receiver A.T. Perry. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: at Chargers (7:05 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 20)

Chiefs: It’s a small sample size, but the Chiefs’ first-team defense generated little heat on the Saints’ quarterbacks in two possessions without defensive tackle Chris Jones, its top pass-rusher. The Chiefs put pressure on the quarterback twice, with no sacks in nine dropbacks. They blitzed three times. Jones is holding out in hopes of getting a better contract. The Chiefs will also play their first six regular-season games without one of their top edge rushers, as Charles Omenihu was suspended by the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. — Adam Teicher

Next game: at Cardinals (8 p.m. ET Saturday)

Chargers: Coach Brandon Staley is opting to sit starters in the preseason, which means we’ll see only a shell of the new offense installed by first-year coordinator Kellen Moore. However, backup quarterback Easton Stick, who started the first half, appeared to operate with ease as he completed short, intermediate and — new to the Bolts’ this season — a deep pass. His go-to target was rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnston, who showed some vulnerability as he dropped a short pass and was unable to hold onto a deep over-the-shoulder opportunity. The run game, which has lacked power and depth in recent seasons, also appeared to take a step in the right direction behind backups Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller. — Lindsey Thiry

Next game: vs. Saints (7:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Aug. 20)

Rams: With quarterback Matthew Stafford and established starters watching the entire game from the sideline, quarterback Stetson Bennett took over in the fourth series for Brett Rypien. A fourth-round pick from Georgia who won a national championship with the Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium in January, Bennett is being monitored not only as a backup to Stafford, but as his eventual successor. His NFL debut got off to an uneven start but gained momentum. Bennett’s first series would have resulted in a turnover if not for two dropped interceptions, but instead he capped a 16-play, 75-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Puka Nacua. Later, Bennett led a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive highlighted by a 17-yard completion to Tyler Johnson. It’s far too soon to tell if Bennett can grow into an NFL starter, but in his first night of work he appeared at least capable of becoming a serviceable backup. — Lindsey Thiry

Next game: vs. Raiders (9 p.m. ET, Saturday, Aug. 19)

Ravens: Tyler Huntley strengthened his grip on the Ravens’ No. 2 quarterback job with an effective cameo appearance. Huntley produced more passing yards in two drives (88) than Josh Johnson had for the entire first half (45). The Ravens looked more fluid with Huntley’s mobility. He completed 8 of 11 passes and ran for 13 yards. “He goes in and he attacks,” wide receiver Tylan Wallace, who caught a 10-yard TD pass from Huntley. “When he’s in there, the offense is different.” Huntley did head into the locker room with a team doctor at the start of the fourth quarter, but coach John Harbaugh said the team didn’t suffer any major injuries when asked about Huntley. Baltimore was much more inconsistent with Johnson, who was 8-of-12 and didn’t complete a throw beyond 10 yards. This is how the quarterback competition has unfolded three weeks into training camp, where Huntley has outplayed Johnson. Huntley has been Lamar Jackson’s primary backup the past two seasons. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Commanders (8 p.m. ET, Monday, Aug. 21, ESPN)

Eagles: The Georgia boys came to play. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the No. 9 overall pick in April’s draft, made an instant impact. He easily beat right guard Ben Cleveland with a club move and got a hit on quarterback Josh Johnson on his first NFL snap. Fellow first-round pick/Georgia alum Nolan Smith registered a QB hit of his own, showing the speed off the edge that he has flashed all summer at training camp. Not to be left out, former Bulldog D’Andre Swift made the most of his cameo, ripping off a 22-yard run that he finished by lowering his shoulder and breaking a tackle. The investment in former Georgia players this offseason is paying dividends early. — Tim McManus