The past two seasons have each produced one playoff team that started 0-2, as the Carolina Panthers finished 12-4 in 2013 and the Indianapolis Colts submitted an 11-5 record previous year after such a start. That means there’s a decent chance at least one of the league’s nine 0-2 starters will wind up in the playoffs come January. By comparison, 6.6% of teams that started 0-2 after winning four or fewer games the year before made the postseason. After being whistled for running into the kicker the first time, a penalty that offset with a Redskins foul and forced a re-kick, Jennings blew up his blocker again and got his hand on the punt, knocking it back through the end zone for a safety to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. The to team to achieve the task was the 1993 Dallas Cowboys, the winners of Super Bowl XXVIII. On Thursday Night Football, I think they should be able to put the game away a bit earlier and not have to worry about the Redskins’ late-game heroics.
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December 14, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, U.S.; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) runs with the ball against Washington Redskins outside linebacker Trent Murphy (93) and cornerback David Amerson (39) during the fourth quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. The lost in 1996 and hoisted the Lombardi in 2001. Twelve months ago, Indy was 0-2, and had just been spanked in prime time by Philly. Some teams are actually positioned a little better than others, but wins need to start coming. KC is a good team, but it’s not good enough to beat Aaron Rodgers on his home turf. ONE STINKING POINT! Thanks a lot UCLA for ruining that one for me, I was so excited!
An 0-2 team ranked fifth? Yes. The Saints were favored by 10 points at kickoff, but instead suffered their fifth consecutive home loss dating to last season. But the Lions could easily fall to 0-5 as their schedule now presents the Seahawks, Broncos and Cardinals. Matthew Stafford is banged up, and Ndamukong Suh is missed.
Bears at Seahawks: Seattle 38-7.
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans-The Colts have looked truly awful the first two games of the season.
49ers at Cardinals: Arizona 34-7. After a thoughtful pause, I asked him, “Did your general manager get accused of accepting blowjobs from members of the sports media…in exchange for stories…by his own wife?” If you want to stop a rushing attack, you have to have guys willing to throw their bodies into gaps along the line of scrimmage, often resulting in bone-jarring collisions with huge offensive linemen and fullbacks like Darrel Young.
Ravens, as solid of an National Football League franchise as you can find and another Super Bowl contender.
Raiders at Browns: Oakland 26-20. This is not a typical John Fox coached team. Still, there are some concerns as they at last return to Baltimore. With a clean bill of health to start this season, the former Florida Gators star hasn’t disappointed whatsoever.
Steelers (+1) over RAMS: Steelers get Le’Veon Bell back from his two-game suspension to add to Antonio Brown in an offense that has racked up over 900 yards in two weeks.
San Diego Chargers @ Minnesotta Vikings- The Chargers should be fighting for a divisional title come December, but for some reason I’m not quite sold on them. And wins are pretty much automatic for the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field.
Philadelphia Eagles- After blowing up the preseason, the Eagles have fallen flat. Sam Bradford has looked dismal this season.
Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys-No Romo. The Jets’ blitz-heavy ball-hawking flummoxed the Colts on Monday night, and you know that D isn’t eager for Kelly and the Eagles to celebrate a fast-paced resurrection at Bowles’ expense, on their home turf. However you word it, they are in trouble. Will the Jets keep up this high level of play? A sub.500 season and I believe head coach Tom Coughlin walks away in January.
The Giants finally get their act together in Week 3 and pull out a Thursday Night victory over the Redskins. If they aren’t 2-2 at that point, then we can truly start to worry about Indy, and whether Chuck Pagano will last the season as coach.
Houston Texans- I thought this team might be on the cusp on wildcard status going into this season. Their defense has not been good, but they have a chance to rebound against a rookie quarterback in Marcus Mariota. The Cowboys are 2-0, but also down their two best players.
Baltimore Ravens- Already two games back in the AFC North.
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The triumph over the Seahawks makes the Packers the team to beat in the NFC, if they weren’t already.
