Ranking 0-2 teams by playoff chances: Why Texans are best positioned to recover

Only 12% of teams to start 0-2 since 2002 have reached the playoffs Sep 22, 2026 at 8:14 am ET • 5 min read Each 0-2 NFL team faces an uphill battle. Only 12% of teams to begin 0-2 since 2002 have made the playoffs, according to USA Today. Only three teams in NFL history won the Super Bowl after starting 0-2: the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants. The 1996 Patriots also went to the Super Bowl after starting 0-2. The '93 Cowboys won it all after Emmitt Smith (that year's league and Super Bowl MVP) returned from a two-game absence amid a contract issue. The '01 Patriots started the franchise's two-decade-long dynasty after Tom Brady replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe. The '07 Giants made history by denying the Patriots the chance to become the NFL's first 19-0 team. Will any of this year's 0-2 teams follow suit? Below is a ranking of the winless teams entering Week 3 from least to most likely to reach the postseason. 8. Miami Dolphins Let's be honest, the odds of Miami making the playoffs this season are as likely as in their 2019 "Tank for Tua" campaign. If there is a sliver of hope, it's the fact that six of the Dolphins' next seven games are against teams that did not make the playoffs in 2025. For Miami, this season is about building the foundation under new coach Jeff Hafley and new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. When looking at the rest of their schedule, the Dolphins have potential winnable games against the Jets, Lions (who gave up 71 points in their first two games) and the Chargers. It's possible that the Dolphins could give the Vikings a scare in Week 4 if Kyler Murray struggles in his initial games back as Minnesota's starting quarterback. 7. Tennessee Titans While it was a loss, Sunday's game against the Eagles is evidence that the Titans are starting to turn a corner under Robert Saleh. Tennessee matched the Eagles score for score and took the lead with under two minutes left before Jalen Hurts delivered the game-winning touchdown pass with 14 seconds left. Following an underwhelming loss to the Jets in Week 1, the Titans were a vastly improved team in Week 2. Cam Ward had an efficient game and was complemented by a running game that tallied 122 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Defensively, the Titans recorded three sacks and forced two turnovers that included a 92-yard interception return by Amani Hooker that set the first of Ward's two short touchdown runs. 6. Washington Commanders Jayden Daniels' latest injury -- and the uncertainty surrounding his possible return -- has compounded Washington's 0-2 start. One positive from Daniels' injury, however, is that it does not appear to be season-ending. Another positive for the Commanders is that they have a solid backup quarterback in Marcus Mariota, a fellow former No. 2 overall pick whose career includes a playoff win as the Titans' starting quarterback. During his time with Washington (which dates to 2024), Mariota -- the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner -- has thrown 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions and has completed 64.1% of his passes. 5. Atlanta Falcons Atlanta's hopes for a playoff push were bolstered by Monday's news that Michael Penix Jr. will make his season debut in Week 3 (Thursday night against the Packers). The Falcons' offense struggled during its first two games and are the only unit that has yet to enter the red zone. If Penix can provide a spark to the Falcons' offense, it's possible that Atlanta can claw out of its current predicament. The Falcons have the NFL's top-ranked run defense and arguably the NFL's best running back in Bijan Robinson. They also play in the NFL's most winnable division in the NFC South. 4. Indianapolis Colts Like the Titans, the Colts' performance (albeit in a losing effort) in Week 2 is reason for optimism. After a listless performance in Week 1 (a 41-23 loss to the Ravens), the Colts took the Chiefs to overtime on Sunday night on the strength of an offense that put 30 points on the board. The Colts lost Alec Pierce during the game with a heel injury, but in his absence, Josh Downs stepped up with 72 yards on seven catches. Indianapolis still has one of the league's best running backs in Jonathan Taylor, who ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday night. The Colts also play in a winnable division in the AFC South. The Colts' defense, however, will need to play better moving forward if they want to make a playoff run. Indianapolis surrendered 506 and 523 yards in its first two games, respectively. 3. Los Angeles Chargers The Chargers' first two games were ugly, and their upcoming schedule is daunting. That being said, Chargers fans still have reasons for optimism, starting with the fact that Jim Harbaugh guided Los Angeles to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. Los Angeles also still has one of the NFL's best quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, an emerging player in running back Omarion Hampton (who ran for 94 yards and a score in Sunday's loss to the Raiders) and a defense that -- like its offense -- is currently top 10 in the NFL in red zone efficiency. The Chargers' playoff hopes may depend on how quickly new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel can find a rhythm with Herbert and Co. 2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers There's no sugarcoating it. The Buccaneers' first two games were bad. Tampa Bay beat itself in Cincinnati in Week 1 by committing four turnovers, and lost on Sunday at home to a team (the Browns) and a quarterback (Deshaun Watson) that have had virtually no success in recent years. It is worth noting that Tampa Bay lost both games by a combined 10 points and could have won either. The Buccaneers' offense took better care of the ball in Week 2 and is ninth in the league on third down. Tampa Bay's defense is seventh in the red zone through two games. 1. Houston Texans Let's start with the fact that the Texans were in this exact spot last year. In fact, Houston started 0-3 last year before winning 12 of its final 14 regular-season games. Houston then recorded a win in the AFC wild card round for the third straight year. Houston is once again 0-2, but Texans fans can take solace in the fact that their team just played two very formidable opponents in the Bills and Bengals. Four of Houston's next five games are against 2025 non-playoff teams. While Week 1 wasn't their best outing, the Texans still boast one of the NFL's best defenses. They also reside in the mediocre AFC South, which they won during C.J. Stroud's first two seasons. Speaking of Stroud, he played well in Week 1 but wasn't as good on Sunday without Nico Collins, who is expected to miss this Sunday's game against the also-winless Colts.