Entering Week 3, there are seven 0-2 teams. History says that starting 0-2 is disastrous, but can any of them rebound and still make the playoffs?
If your favorite team started 0-2, you’ve surely heard about how they’re “doomed” and that only six of the 77 teams that have started 0-2 since 2009 have made it to the playoffs. Not including the winless Pittsburgh Steelers due to their 0-1-1 record, there are seven teams already in this danger zone. I examine whether any of them save their 2018 season.
The list of seven includes the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, and Buffalo Bills. Each has shown significant roster flaws thus far, but sometimes luck and bad matchups are bigger factors to a two-game skid.
We’ll start with the least likely team to fix their issues and work to the team most likely to make the playoffs from this group.
BUFFALO, NY – SEPTEMBER 16: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills trie sto get rid of the ball as Melvin Ingram III #54 of the Los Angeles Chargers attempts to drag him down during NFL game action at New Era Field on September 16, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
7. Buffalo Bills: No chance
There’s not much of a debate as to which teams are the two-worst in the NFL thus far. The Buffalo Bills are the least-likely 0-2 team to rebound, and there’s a possibility they go winless this season depending on what happens with LeSean McCoy’s cracked rib and legal situation. Their fall from playoff contestant in 2017 to worst-team-in-the-league status isn’t completely out of left field, though.
The loss of veterans Cordy Glenn, Tyrod Taylor, E.J. Gaines, Richie Incognito and Eric Wood have stung massively even if those players were flawed in their own ways. The primary reason is that their acquisitions have contributed next-to-nothing in return.
Vontae Davis retired, their quarterback situation is one of the worst in NFL history, they failed to add one starting-caliber offensive weapon despite knowing McCoy’s advanced age and cap figure, the line is a bottom-10 group in the league, and their defensive front-seven hasn’t been as good as last year despite individual upgrades.
Their defense was supposed to be better as Tremaine Edmunds and Star Lotulelei injected needed explosiveness and run support. Edmunds has been encouraging, while Lotulelei has zero tackles in 76 snaps, and isn’t a good enough pass-rusher to make a real impact on a team that’s been down three scores quickly.
There’s no chance the Bills recover this year. Their 2018 season is about developing Josh Allen and trying to unearth quality depth pieces and potential starters for 2019. At least they have a bounty of draft picks and cap space to use this coming offseason to improve.