Slow start or straight-up cooked: Which 0-2 teams still have hope?

The dreaded 0-2 start has historically been an ominous sign for teams' playoff hopes.

Dating back to 1990, only 35 of the 288 teams (12.2%) to start a season with consecutive losses have bounced back to make the postseason. The NFL expanding its playoff format hasn't had much of an impact on those chances either. All but five of 43 such teams have missed the playoffs since 2020.

For those seeking hope though, it's worth noting that the 2024 playoff field included three different 0-2 starters. Could we get a few more from this year's group?

Carolina Panthers

Verdict: Cooked

There was plenty of positive buzz around the Panthers heading into this season. Bryce Young made meaningful improvements during the second half of his sophomore campaign, creating optimism about the direction of this offense. And a busy offseason on the other side of the ball seemingly allowed for the possibility that the defense would set out on a similar trajectory. That's not quite how things have played out.

Young's game has been a mixed bag through two weeks. His unique playmaking traits give him some considerable upside, but he's yet to truly elevate the situation around him. And with the Panthers getting pretty much nothing from the receiving corps outside of stud first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan, that's a problem. The continued growing pains in that respect would be more tolerable if the defense took the expected step forward. That hasn't happened either, as Ejiro Evero's unit enters Week 3 ranked 26th in EPA/play, according to TruMedia. It'll likely be at least another year, if not longer, before this team threatens to reach the playoffs.

Chicago Bears

Verdict: Slow start

It would be easy to write off the Bears after they were on the receiving end of a 52-21 beatdown from the Lions in Week 2. Maybe that's what we should be doing here. But getting things on track under Ben Johnson was always going to be a process, and it shouldn't be a surprise that Chicago wasn't immediately capable of competing with a team like Detroit. That doesn't mean it can't get significantly closer three months from now.

There's simply too much talent on this team to rule out the possibility. And while it's been a disappointing start on both sides of the ball, we still have every reason to believe that Johnson and Dennis Allen, one of the game's most respected defensive minds, will prove Bears believers right sooner rather than later. Chicago has multiple winnable games between now and the Nov. 5 trade deadline. If it can establish some momentum over that stretch, perhaps the front office can justify dealing for a running back who can spearhead the kind of run game that would really help Johnson's offense take off. There's still time, even if the early letdowns suggest these are the same old Bears.

Cleveland Browns

Verdict: Cooked

Nobody had any real expectations for the Browns in 2025, right? Even the most optimistic fans had to understand that, with Joe Flacco leading the way for a problem-filled roster, earning the No. 1 overall pick was a more likely outcome than pushing for, say, a .500 record.

Accepting that reality should allow Browns supporters to enjoy this season for what it is: an opportunity for young players to get on the field and develop for the future. And this year's rookie class has a chance to be special. Mason Graham figures to be an outstanding running mate for Myles Garrett, and we've already seen impressive flashes from Carson Schwesinger, Harold Fannin Jr., Quinshon Judkins, and Dylan Sampson. Add in a quarterback at the top of next year's class and this could be the kind of core that finally gets the Browns out of the basement.

Houston Texans

Verdict: Slow start

I had the Texans as my AFC South champion entering the season, and I'm sticking to it. That may seem silly, considering they're already two games back of a red-hot Colts team, but I'm not about to give up after a pair of one-score losses to the Rams and Buccaneers.

Granted, the offense has yet to make the improvements that were expected after an offseason coordinator change. The front five is still struggling in pass protection, and C.J. Stroud remains in search of the form that made him the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Call me crazy, but I think the breakthrough is just around the corner. This offense doesn't even need to be a top-10 unit with an elite defense leading the charge. The Texans should climb to .500 after upcoming games against the Jaguars and Titans. From there, the race for the division title is on.

Kansas City Chiefs

Verdict: Slow start

Most non-Chiefs fans would love for this winless start to be the beginning of the end for the NFL's latest dynasty. Anyone who's being the least bit realistic understands that's not what is happening here. While there are multiple AFC contenders that could end Kansas City's three-year run atop the conference, having a couple losses out of the gate isn't enough reason to think it won't, at the very least, be back in the mix come January.

That's not to say this team isn't flawed. The receiving corps is once again holding back the passing game, and the defense seems to be headed in the wrong direction after a few more key personnel losses in the spring. But the offense could look like a completely different unit when Xavier Worthy gets healthy and Rashee Rice returns from his suspension. Steve Spagnuolo also has a long history of rounding his defenses into form over the course of a season. The AFC still runs through the team that's been to the Super Bowl in five of the last six years.

Miami Dolphins

Verdict: Cooked

The Dolphins were much better in Week 2, rediscovering some of their old offensive magic before ultimately falling to the Patriots. But I just can't get past the way they looked in their opener, and neither should you.

An embarrassing blowout loss to the Colts confirmed the fears many had about this team heading into the season. Mike McDaniel's program has gone stale, and glaring issues on the offensive line and in the secondary were going to be incredibly difficult to overcome. The Bills should have no trouble beating Miami on Thursday. There's no reason to think this team will be the second this century (Texans, 2018) to bounce back from an 0-3 start and make the playoffs. The Dolphins are more likely to be selling off by the trade deadline.

New Orleans Saints

Verdict: Cooked

Much like the Browns, there's simply no world in which the Saints could be expected to accomplish much in 2025. The roster has been so poorly managed dating all the way back to the end of the Sean Payton era that a season like this was inevitable. An 0-2 start will likely become 0-4 after upcoming games against the Seahawks and Bills, and there's no coming back from that. It's not all negative though.

Saints fans can at least take solace in the team being competitive in the early stages of the season. Kellen Moore's arrival has the offense showing some encouraging signs, and Spencer Rattler is proving he can play at this level. If those trends continue, this season can be considered a success regardless of the final win total.

New York Giants

Verdict: Cooked

Russell Wilson lighting up the Cowboys in Week 2 is an incredibly promising sign for the Giants. The veteran signal-caller was signed for his ability to open up this offense. It appears that his skill set, limited as it may now be, is still capable of doing exactly that. But a playoff run was always going to be a long shot for this team, and it feels virtually impossible now.

Even the most talented pass rush in football isn't enough to spearhead a suitable complement on the other side of the ball. The Giants are giving up 5.9 yards per carry and have managed a rush success rate of just 50.9%, both the second-worst marks in the league. And it's not just the run game. New York ranks 24th in EPA/dropback. That's not going to cut it with a schedule that includes matchups against the Chiefs, Chargers, Eagles (x2), and Broncos over the next six weeks alone.

New York Jets

Verdict: Cooked

There was reason to be excited about this Jets team following its season opener. Our first look at the Justin Fields-led offense included spectacular results, with New York finishing Week 1 ranked third in EPA/play. The enthusiasm immediately proved premature, as the Jets' offense was a bottom-two unit by the same metric in Week 2.

There's certainly some upside here, as many opponents will have trouble dealing with the Jets' rushing attack. At that point, things could open up for Fields in the passing game. But we're still waiting for him to make the necessary developments as a passer to become a steadying presence when the game is in his hands. The Jets' defense failing to meet the expectations that came with Aaron Glenn taking over a talented group, combined with the weekly roller-coaster rides on offense, will make wins difficult to come by.

Tennessee Titans

Verdict: Cooked

The Titans were decently competitive in losses to the Broncos and Rams, so it's not like this is shaping up to be another disaster season. But a playoff appearance was always going to be a pipe dream this early in the rebuilding process. Their next two games against the Colts and Texans may be enough to rule it out entirely.

The far more important part is that the Titans appear to have their quarterback. If you're willing to look past the stats, it's easy to see that Cam Ward has the makings of a truly special talent at the most important position in the sport. Give the Titans some time to keep building around him and the wins will follow. That could begin as soon as next year.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.