One reason for optimism for every 0-2 NFL team: Patriots, Vikings among scrappiest clubs without a win

Two games isn’t enough to define an NFL team. But it’s close. Or at least that’s what recent history tells us.

Football is chock-full of underdog stories, but since 1990, only 31 of the 270 teams that started a season 0-2 ended up making the playoffs. That’s just under 11.5%. In other words, not impossible, but also not very probable. It’s the cold reality of a sport with a 17-game schedule, where every win — and every loss — can make or break future postseason standings.

Through two weeks of the 2023 season, nine of the NFL’s 32 teams have failed to secure a victory. But their fans don’t need any more reason to fume. So instead, let’s turn our minds to the ingredients that could allow these teams to buck the odds and become the next great underdog story. Here’s one reason for optimism for each of the 0-2 teams going into Week 3:

Bears

D.J. Moore
USATSI

Oof. Rough one to kick off the list, to be honest. The biggest X-factor of their season was going to be Justin Fields’ progression (or lack thereof) as a passer, and the early returns aren’t pretty. Their best secondary pieces are also banged up. But guess what? The NFC North remains a crapshoot. The Lions (1-1) just surrendered 30 second-half points in a loss to Seattle. The Packers (1-1) blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead to the Falcons. And the Vikings (0-2) can’t stop turning the ball over.

Bengals

Joe Burrow
Bengals

For one thing, they’ve been here before, starting 0-2 just last year, only to advance to the AFC title game. It’s clear star quarterback Joe Burrow is rusty after missing all summer with a calf injury, and now that he’s aggravated it, the iffy O-line will be under…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/one-reason-for-optimism-for-every-0-2-nfl-team-patriots-vikings-among-scrappiest-clubs-without-a-win/

Author : Cody Benjamin

Publish date : 2023-09-19 12:36:24

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.