POLL: Which 0-2 Team Is Most Likely To Rebound?
In a relatively short 16 game season, a slow start can be a death blow. Around 90% of teams who start the season 0-2 end up missing the playoffs. Some teams can put it behind them and turn their season around, but not many. The 2007 Giants started off 0-2 and ended up winning the Super Bowl, as did the 2001 Patriots.
There are currently seven teams sitting at 0-2, and none of their prospects look particularly bright. Several of them have solid franchise quarterbacks and recent playoff success, and none of them are giving up. So which, if any, has the best chance of turning around their disappointing campaigns?
Two teams in the NFC West are 0-2. The Seahawks have lost a pair of close games, both of which they had opportunities to win in the first quarter. The Cardinals on the other hand have been blown out twice, and have scored just six total points. The Seahawks have the clear advantage at quarterback, the Cardinals have David Johnson, and neither has much of an offensive line. The Cardinals have plenty of theoretical talent and a strong defense, while Russell Wilson has shown he’s capable of carrying a team in the past. Both teams will be returning home for do-or-die games in Week 3. The Cardinals get the Bears, while the Seahawks host the Cowboys.
The other two winless teams in the NFC are the Lions and Giants. Both teams have new head coaches and Matt Patricia and Pat Shurmur have both gotten off to terrible starts. The Lions’ defense has been a mess while Eli Manning has looked like he has very little left in the tank. Like Wilson, Stafford has carried successful teams in the past while the Giants have plenty of playmakers around Manning in Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram, and Odell Beckham. The Lions will host Patricia’s old team, the Patriots, on Sunday Night Football, while the Giants will face off against another winless team, the Texans.
The Texans have failed to meet expectations as Deshaun Watson returned from the torn ACL that cut his phenomenal 2017 season short. They understandably dropped a road opener to the Patriots, but lost a head-scratcher last week to the Titans in a game where Blaine Gabbert took all the snaps. They’ve got Watson and a slew of other big name players, but if they lose to the Giants on Sunday it will be awfully hard to rebound.
The last two 0-2 teams in the AFC are the Raiders and the Bills. Jon Gruden took a lot of heat for trading Khalil Mack, and hasn’t been able to deliver through two weeks. His team hung tough against the Rams in Week 1, then blew a late lead against the Broncos last week. The Bills have potentially the worst outlook of any of these teams. In the midst of a full blown rebuild, Buffalo was forced to bench Nathan Peterman after just one start. Josh Allen will be under center the rest of the way, and the season will be more focused on his development rather than winning games. The Raiders will travel to Miami in Week 3 to take on the Dolphins, while the Bills will head to Minnesota to face the Vikings.
Which of these teams do you think has the best chance of rebounding and turning the season around? Will we see the next ’07 Giants rise up from this crop of 0-2 teams? Vote in the poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
PFR Originals: 9/9/18-9/16/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Our Ben Levine took a look back at the Patriots’ decision to trade Laurence Maroney as part of our ‘This Date In Transactions History’ series. Maroney, a first round pick of New England back in 2006, was shipped out to Denver as part of the deal.
This Date In Transactions History: Laurence Maroney Trade
September trades are pretty rare in the NFL, but we got one eight years ago today. On this date in 2010, the Patriots traded running back Laurence Maroney (along with a 2011 sixth-round pick) to the Broncos in exchange for a 2011 fourth-round pick.
When the Patriots selected Maroney in the first round of the 2006 draft, they were hoping to get some longterm stability at the position. The Minnesota product certainly looked the part of a three-down back during his rookie campaign. While splitting time with veteran Corey Dillon, Maroney still managed to compile 745 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 175 carries (he also hauled in 22 catches for 194 yards and one score). He became the starting running back during his sophomore campaign, and he took on an ever bigger role during the playoffs.
However, Maroney only appeared in three games during the 2008 season after suffering a shoulder injury, and he struggled with fumbles following his return in 2009. By the time the 2010 season came around, he was buried on the depth chart behind Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk. With BenJarvus Green-Ellis contributing on special teams, the Patriots decided to shop their former first-rounder.
In came the Broncos, who were dealing with a number of running back injuries. Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter were both hobbled, and their replacement, LenDale White, had already torn his Achilles. The team moved down two rounds in the 2011 draft in order to acquire Maroney, who was set to hit free agency following the season. The then-25-year-old ended up starting three of his four games for Denver, compiling only 74 yards on 36 carries. He was later arrested on weapons charges, and the team chose not to re-sign him following the campaign. Maroney’s stint with the Broncos was his last NFL action.
The Patriots ended up trading their acquired pick to the Seahawks for wideout Deion Branch, and Seattle used that pick to select linebacker K.J. Wright. The Broncos used their acquired pick (which was originally owned by the Saints) to select linebacker Mike Mohamed.
The Broncos were presumably hoping for a bit more when they acquired Maroney. Fortunately for the organization, the offense continued to improve over the next few years. Of course, a certain Hall of Famer probably helped with that.
PFR Originals: 9/2/18 – 9/9/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Pro Football Rumors writers posted their predictions for the 2018 NFL season, choosing division winners, postseason results, and awards finishes. Click here for projections from Zach Links, Ben Levine, Andrew Ortenberg, Rory Parks, Dallas Robinson, and Sam Robinson, and to weigh in with your opinions!
Pro Football Rumors’ 2018 NFL Predictions
The 2018 NFL season gets underway tonight, and the writers at Pro Football Rumors have weighed in with projections for the upcoming year. We’ve predicted which teams will earn playoff berths, which clubs will win their respective conferences, the Super Bowl champion, and the winners of the league’s major awards.
Click on the table below for predictions from Zach Links, Ben Levine, Andrew Ortenberg, Rory Parks, Dallas Robinson, and Sam Robinson. And please head to the comments section to chime in with your own prognostications for the 2018 NFL season!
PFR Originals: 8/19/18 – 8/26/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff over the past week:
- The Raiders haven’t come close to reaching an extension with contract year edge rusher Khalil Mack, leading Sam Robinson to ask PFR readers if Oakland will end up trading the star defensive end. So far, the voting is extremely tight, as 50.41% of respondents believe Mack will be shipped out this year. Teams have reportedly inquired on the 27-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year, and the Jets are apparently among them.
Poll: Will Raiders Trade Khalil Mack?
While the Rams and Aaron Donald continue to engage in dialogue toward an extension the interior defender’s sought for nearly two years, extension talks between the Raiders and Khalil Mack aren’t believed to be progressing.
As of late July, the Raiders reportedly hadn’t made Mack an offer, which is rather odd given the 2016 defensive player of the year’s importance to the franchise. While Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes (subscription required) the team did make an offer in the spring, one Mack rejected, he adds these talks have unfolded at a “glacial” pace. However, Tafur writes neither Mark Davis nor Reggie McKenzie has made it known the Raiders plan to collect the $2MM-plus in fines Mack’s incurred for missing every mandatory Raiders activity this offseason. That would be a step toward the sides salvaging their relationship.
This standoff has dragged on to the point Las Vegas oddsmakers set the odds against Mack being on the Raiders after the midseason trade deadline. Is that the way the 27-year-old defender’s Raiders chapter will end?
Teams are calling the Raiders, some making repeat inquiries, about Mack’s trade availability. The edge rusher-desperate Jets are one of them. Vegas places the Packers — who hold two 2019 first-round picks — as a better bet to employ Mack by November than the Raiders, with the Bears and Jets listed as the other top destinations. A Mack trade would net the Raiders a surely substantial haul, but this franchise for years struggled to find players of Mack’s caliber in the first place.
With Mack being one of the best defenders in Raiders history, an Oakland exit would be seismic. It could signal the Raiders either may not be fully committed to paying for top talent, but the 2016 free agency period featured plenty of Raiders money going into free agents’ bank accounts and the ’17 offseason saw Davis authorize extensions for Derek Carr and Gabe Jackson.
Gruden made comments early this offseason about the Raiders previously a poor defensive team with Mack. While that isn’t inaccurate, given recent Raider editions struggling defensively, removing Mack from this unit would pose a problem for the team’s ability to pressure quarterbacks.
The Raiders guaranteed Carr $70MM, and Tafur notes it is probably going to take more to secure a long-term commitment from Mack. Von Miller received $70MM guaranteed from the Broncos in 2016, but with the salary cap sitting $22MM north of where it was then, it should be expected Mack and Donald are aiming higher. The Raiders’ potential lack of wherewithal to pay Mack that kind of guarantee has surfaced, but nothing concrete’s been reported on that front. But that would raise another set of questions for a franchise that recently accepted a record $750MM in public money to relocate to Vegas.
McKenzie doesn’t expect Mack to report without a contract, but the fifth-year veteran’s tied to $13.8MM fifth-year option. The Raiders have leverage here. And the franchise tag option for 2019 and ’20 exists if the Silver and Black wanted to play this that way, though considering Mack’s held out this long, that may not be a viable path. Considering how bad the Raiders have been for most of the past 15 years, sending off their best player just as the team prepares to leave its original market for a second time would not create the best atmosphere as the Jon Gruden 2.0 era begins.
So, how will this end? Will the Raiders get this deal done? Will Mack cave at the prospect of missing out on a sizable chunk of his 2018 salary? Or, is a divorce inevitable? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts (and possible trade destinations) in the comments section.
PFR Originals: 8/12/18 – 8/19/18
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- Should the Browns sign free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant? PFR readers are split right down the middle, but it doesn’t appear Bryant will be landing in Cleveland any time soon. He’s reportedly no longer “on the front burner” for the Browns, and is reportedly looking for a one-year, prove-it deal with a contending club. Cleveland could conceivably circle back to Bryant later this year, but it seems like they’ll roll with Jarvis Landry, Antonio Callaway, and the returning Josh Gordon for now.
- Prior to A.J. McCarron suffering a broken collarbone, Sam Robinson asked PFR readers who should start at quarterback for the Bills. First-round rookie Josh Allen had already garnered nearly 50% of the vote before McCarron’s injury, and he now looks like the clear starter with McCarron sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Poll: Who Should Bills Start At QB?
The Bills started A.J. McCarron at quarterback Friday night in Cleveland after giving Nathan Peterman the initial start of the preseason. For a playoff team, Buffalo’s proceeded in interesting fashion and has three unique choices to start going into the regular season.
In trading the quarterback who helped them snap major North American sports’ longest playoff drought, the Bills look to be less equipped to make a playoff run this season. Tyrod Taylor had his share of detractors, and the new Bills regime was obviously not sold he was anything more than a stopgap, but his three years’ worth of starter experience represented a higher floor than any of the team’s current options.
So, Buffalo appears to be in a worse spot at sports’ premier job entering the 2018 season. The Bills, who have Las Vegas’ second-worst odds to win Super Bowl LIII, appear to have willingly taken a step back in hopes of reloading for the future.
They signed McCarron to seemingly be the bridge to whatever quarterback they chose in Round 1, which turned out to be Josh Allen. But the fifth-year passer has yet to seize the role. McCarron is still competing with Peterman, the latter having looked better than the higher-paid ex-Bengal during several junctures of the offseason. But McCarron signed a two-year, $8.1MM contract. Peterman has three years left on his rookie deal.
While the 2017 fifth-round pick endured last season’s most disastrous start, his five-interception outing in Los Angeles, he’s clearly shown more as an NFL sophomore. But can the Bills turn back to him after that start and having made two bigger investments at QB?
Explaining why McCarron and Peterman were going to receive first-team work over Allen to start camp, Brandon Beane said the team was committed to giving his team’s veterans the best chance to win this season. But the Bills are not expected to contend in 2018. And they made multiple first-round trades up to select Allen at No. 7. If he shows increased NFL readiness during the preseason’s remainder, would a rebuilding team throw the mid-major prodigy into action early?
So, should the Bills open the season with McCarron, finally giving Andy Dalton’s longtime backup a real chance to prove he’s an NFL starter? Or should Peterman’s improved offseason grant him a second chance? Should the Bills throw a curveball and begin the Allen era now? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Poll: Should The Browns Sign Dez Bryant?
The Browns and Dez Bryant are meeting today, but each side has reservations about a potential union. Bryant ducked the Browns’ phone calls for a while and only got in touch with the Browns after GM John Dorsey disclosed that to the public. The Browns, meanwhile, aren’t completely sold on Bryant being a good fit for them. 
The Browns’ internal conflict is understandable as Bryant’s star has faded considerably in recent years. After averaging 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns between 2012 and 2014, his averages plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and 6 TDs over the last three years. He also missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016, and some say he wasn’t giving 100% towards the end of his run in Dallas.
Will Bryant be motivated by his release from the Cowboys? It stands to reason that he will, but one can’t help but wonder how Bryant would react to a sharp decrease in targets. Bryant would be in line for plenty of looks if Josh Gordon misses time, but the Browns are hopeful that the troubled star will be ready to go in Week 1. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which Bryant is relegated to being the third wide receiver behind Landry and Gordon, and there’s also a group of talented young receivers to consider, including rookie Antonio Callaway.
With reservations and interest on both sides, we want to know what you think. Should the Browns sign Bryant? Click below to cast your vote.