How many 0-2 teams have made it to the NFL playoffs?
Starting the new NFL season with back-to-back losses is not ideal. First, after months and months of pre-season, teams wanted to start well to make sure all that work was worth it.
Starting a season with two losses is not good in any circumstance, but factoring in the small percentage of teams that do manage to turn it around, chances are slim to say the least.
How many 0-2 teams have made the playoffs?
Since 2007, there have been 98 teams that have started their seasons 0-2. Of those 98 teams, just 12% of them have turned their fortunes around to make it to the post season. One of them was the then San Diego Chargers when the franchise made it with an 8-8 record in 2008.
The New York Giants of 2007 was another team who gave hope to all the teams that start. They started the season 0-2 but went on to win the Super Bowl.
The NFL teams with the 3 longest droughts without an 0-2 start are all in danger of starting 0-2 this season:
– Cowboys: last 0-2 start in 2010 (finished 6-10)
– Packers: last 0-2 start in 2006 (finished 8-8)
– Patriots: last 0-2 start in 2001 (won Super Bowl) https://t.co/jizpOWTbia
However, if your season does start well with a 2-0 record, it does not guarantee that you will make it to the playoffs. Only 55% of teams that win the opening two games make the playoffs in that year.
The most high-profile miss being the 2008 New England Patriots, who missed the playoffs despite starting 2-0. However, their 11-5 record proves that making the postseason is extremely tough and teams have to be good for the entire year.
So while starting winless in the opening two games is not exactly the end of the world, it certainly helps if a team can win at least one of the two games.
Which teams turned it around in week 2 of NFL?
Heading into Week 2, there were several teams that lost their opener and some of them are Super Bowl caliber teams.
The Bills, Ravens, Browns, Titans, Cowboys and the Washington Football Team were all 0-1 heading into Week 2. Luckily for those franchises, they all won their second match up and are now 1-1.
A noteworthy stat: 258 teams have started a season 0-2 since 1990.
• Only 30 out of the 258 (11.6%) ended up turning it around and making the playoffs.
• Only 15 (5.8%) won their division after starting 0-2.
• Only 3 teams (1.2%) won the Super Bowl after starting 0-2.
Green Bay was in a similar position, but having easily accounted for the Detroit Lions, 35-17 behind Aaron Rodgers’ 255 yards and four touchdowns, they are now back at 1-1.
The teams that are now 0-2 in their NFL season are the New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons. They all face an uphill battle to turn their seasons around.
Although the season is not dead and buried just yet for those seven teams, they will need to start winning soon. One thing that could be in the teams' favor is that the season has expanded by a game. So now there are 17 matches in which to try and secure the needed wins.
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