In the world of American football, the race for a playoff spot is always intense, especially for the nine NFL teams who are still chasing after their first win of the 2024 season. After suffering two consecutive losses to kick off their schedules, these teams are facing an uphill battle as they try to turn their fortunes around.
According to the statistics provided by The Athletic’s Austin Mock, the odds are not in favor of teams that start off 0-2. None of the current winless teams have a playoff probability higher than 44 percent or a divisional win probability above 26 percent. In fact, seven out of the nine teams have a less than 20 percent chance of making it to the postseason.
But despite the bleak outlook, it is not impossible for these teams to make a comeback and secure a playoff spot. History has shown that it can be done, as evidenced by the example of the 2023 Houston Texans.
The Texans started the 2023 season with losses to the Ravens and the Colts, but they managed to bounce back and finish the season with a record of 10-7, clinching the AFC South title. This impressive turnaround was credited to the emergence of rookie QB C.J. Stroud and the improved performance of the offensive line, which was bolstered by the return of key players like Laremy Tunsil.
Similarly, the 2022 Cincinnati Bengals faced a rough start to the season with losses to the Steelers and Cowboys. However, they managed to regroup and finish the season with an 11-5 record, ultimately falling in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Their resilience and determination proved that a slow start does not define the outcome of the entire season.
Looking back further to the 2018 season, the Houston Texans faced a similar situation when they began the season 0-3. Despite the rocky start, they managed to turn things around with back-to-back overtime wins in Weeks 4 and 5, setting the stage for a successful season.
As the 2024 season unfolds, it will be interesting to see which of these winless teams will follow in the footsteps of past underdogs and defy the odds to secure a spot in the playoffs. The journey ahead may be challenging, but as they say in the world of football, anything is possible on any given Sunday.
