Is an 0-2 start in the NFL too difficult to overcome?
That's one of many questions the Baltimore Ravens will be asking themselves following a disappointing stumble at home against Gardner Minshew and the Las Vegas Raiders.
But Baltimore isn't the only franchise wondering if a postseason berth is already out of reach early on. Eight other teams are also winless through two weeks, some surprising, some not.
So, how do NFL teams who start the regular season 0-2 fare the rest of the way? Here's what the numbers say:
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How many NFL teams make the playoffs after starting 0-2?
Going back to 1990, only 32 of the 274 teams that started 0-2 in the regular season reached the playoffs. That's a slim success rate of 11.4%. Going 1-1, at least, is not the end of the world, but losing both out of the gate makes things dire.
How many NFL teams won the Super Bowl after starting 0-2?
Only three NFL teams overcame the 0-2 hurdle to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Those franchises are:
- 1993: Dallas Cowboys defeats Buffalo Bills 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII
- 2001: New England Patriots defeats St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI
- 2007: New York Giants defeats New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII
Which NFL team most recently made the playoffs after starting 0-2?
NFL
The Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 reached the AFC Championship Game after starting 0-2. They bounced back to finish 12-5 in the new 17-game regular season, but fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 2023, the Houston Texans dropped their first two games before rookie C.J. Stroud and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans pioneered the team to a 10-7 finish. Houston routed the Cleveland Browns in the wild card round 45-14, but fell to Baltimore in the divisional game 34-10.
Which 0-2 NFL teams in 2024 could make the playoffs?
Along with Baltimore, the eight other 0-2 teams in 2024 are the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans.
Baltimore and Cincinnati have the most squad quality to rally themselves into a playoff berth, though they'll have to do so within the same division.
Los Angeles will need to get healthy first to have any chance in the NFC West, while Jacksonville will see what Trevor Lawrence is made of in a poorer AFC South.
Carolina, Denver, Indianapolis, Tennessee and New York entered the season with minimal expectations due to either young quarterbacks or a lack of quality and depth, so a playoff ticket likely won't be punched this campaign.
