The 2024 NFL season kicked off with a bang, and after two weeks of action, a number of intriguing storylines have emerged. One of the most notable narratives is the surprising start of several teams who find themselves at 0-2. With a total of nine winless teams across the league, the early struggles of some of these squads have been quite shocking.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, both expected to be contenders in the AFC, have stumbled out of the gate with an 0-2 record. Additionally, teams that were viewed as potential playoff contenders, such as the Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, and Denver Broncos, have also yet to secure a victory in the young season.
While starting 0-2 is not necessarily a death sentence for a team’s postseason hopes, the odds are certainly stacked against them. Historically, the chances of making the playoffs after such a start are quite slim. In fact, from 1990 through the 2023 season, only 32 out of 279 teams that began the year 0-2 managed to reach the postseason, a mere 11.5% success rate.
With the NFL expanding the playoffs to include 14 teams starting in 2020, the odds of recovery for winless teams may be slightly improved moving forward. However, the numbers still paint a bleak picture for those who stumble out of the gate.
Of the 279 teams that started 0-2 over the years, only 17 went on to win their division (6.1%) and just three managed to hoist the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions (1.1%). The 1993 Dallas Cowboys, 2001 New England Patriots, and 2007 New York Giants are the only teams in NFL history to accomplish the feat of winning the Super Bowl after a winless start to the season.
While there have been success stories of teams rebounding from an 0-2 start, they are few and far between. In the past three seasons alone, 21 teams found themselves winless after two weeks, yet only two of them were able to make a postseason push.
As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see which of these struggling teams can turn things around and defy the odds to secure a spot in the playoffs. Only time will tell if any of them can follow in the footsteps of the rare champions who have overcome a winless start to achieve ultimate success in the NFL.
