It's hard not to overreact to the first two games of an NFL season. But, does a 2-0 start really guarantee playoffs? And are the 0-2 teams essentially toast? Our Odds Shark NFL Database seems to think so:
Are 0-2 Teams Screwed?
Okay 0-2 teams, take a seat. It's not completely over, but it certainly isn't good news. In the last five years, only three of the 39 teams that started 0-2 (7.7%) went on to make the playoffs.
If Bengals fans want any consolation, as their team started 0-2 this season, their 2022 squad was one of those three teams! Before the Bengals made it into the postseason after an 0-2 start last year, a team hadn't made the playoffs after that slow start since 2018.
For the second-straight season, the Bengals have started 0-2. pic.twitter.com/FSR22cMjBB
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2023
As well, there is one shining beacon of 0-2 hope if you want to look back far enough: the 2007-08 New York Giants. Those G-men started the 2007 season off with hefty losses to the Cowboys and Packers before going on a run.
They won 10 of their final 14 games, snuck into the postseason as a wild card, and then went on a miracle run to the Super Bowl. Months after starting 0-2, they were the only team to beat the 16-0 New England Patriots that season, besting them 17-14 in the big game.
Can The 2-0 Teams Be Stopped?
Likewise, starting 2-0 is a great sign for your playoff chances, but it's no guarantee. In the last five years, 29 of the 40 teams that started 2-0 went on to make the postseason (72.5%). Last year, though, the 2-0 teams swept the board and all six went on to the playoffs.
All 2-0 and 0-2 Teams (Last 5 Years)
Year | 2-0 | Playoffs? | 0-2 | Playoffs? |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Buffalo | Y | Atlanta | N |
Kansas City | Y | Carolina | N | |
Miami | Y | Cincinnati | Y | |
Philadelphia | Y | Las Vegas | N | |
Tampa Bay | Y | Tennessee | N | |
NY Giants | Y | |||
2021 | Arizona | Y | Atlanta | N |
Carolina | N | Detroit | N | |
Denver | N | Indianapolis | N | |
LA Rams | Y | Jacksonville | N | |
Las Vegas | Y | Minnesota | N | |
San Francisco | Y | NY Jets | N | |
Tampa Bay | Y | NY Giants | N | |
2020 | Arizona | N | Atlanta | N |
Baltimore | Y | Carolina | N | |
Buffalo | Y | Cincinnati | N | |
Chicago | Y | Denver | N | |
Green Bay | Y | Detroit | N | |
LA Rams | Y | Miami | N | |
Kansas City | Y | Minnesota | N | |
Las Vegas | N | NY Jets | N | |
Pittsburgh | Y | Philadelphia | N | |
Seattle | Y | Houston | N | |
Tennessee | Y | NY Giants | N | |
2019 | Baltimore | Y | Carolina | N |
Buffalo | Y | Cincinnati | N | |
Dallas | N | Denver | N | |
Green Bay | Y | Jacksonville | N | |
LA Rams | N | Miami | N | |
Kansas City | Y | NY Jets | N | |
New England | Y | Pittsburgh | N | |
Seattle | Y | NY Giants | N | |
San Francisco | Y | Washington | N | |
2018 | LA Rams | Y | Houston | Y |
Kansas City | Y | Buffalo | N | |
Jacksonville | N | Arizona | N | |
Tampa Bay | N | Detroit | N | |
Denver | N | Oakland | N | |
Miami | N | Seattle | Y | |
Cincinnati | N | NY Giants | N |