An 0-2 start does not dash NFL playoff hopes

There are eight 0-2 teams -- six of them in the NFC -- and most shocking of those are the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings.

It’s the first time since 2001 the Cowboys have lost their first two games. The memory is more fresh for the Vikings, who lost their first two to start the 2008 season (and three of their first four) yet went on to win the division.

“It’s a 14-game season now and we’re sitting at the bottom of it,” Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre said. “What we do with it from here remains to be seen. It won’t be any easier.”

All is not lost, that’s for sure. The 1993 Cowboys overcame an 0-2 start and went on to win the Super Bowl. The 1996 New England Patriots got to the Super Bowl despite losing their first two games, and the club won its first ring in 2001 despite an 0-2 start.

And just three years ago, the New York Giants dropped their first two before knocking off the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Since the current 12-team playoff format was put in place in 1990, 22 teams have overcome 0-2 starts to make the postseason.

The 0-2 teams over the last decade to qualify for the playoffs:

YEAR, TEAM, ADVANCED TO
2001, New England Patriots, Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002, Atlanta Falcons, Divisional playoffs
2002, Pittsburgh Steelers, Divisional playoffs
2003, Philadelphia Eagles, NFC championship game
2006, Kansas City Chiefs, Wild-card playoffs
2007, New York Giants, Won Super Bowl XLII
2008, Miami Dolphins, Wild-card playoffs
2008, Minnesota Vikings, Wild-card playoffs
2008, San Diego Chargers, Divisional playoffs
Source: NFL?

Splitting hairs

Through two weeks, 19 of 32 games (59.4%) have been decided by seven points or fewer. That’s the most at this point of the season in NFL history.

If seven games were to be that close this week, that would break the NFL record of 26 such games through three weeks, set in 1988.

Several 0-2 teams can say they were oh so close to being 2-0. Cleveland, for instance, has lost two games by a total of five points. St. Louis has lost them by six, Detroit by eight and Minnesota by nine.

Familiar foes

Green Bay and Chicago will face each other Monday for the 180th time, the most games ever between two NFL franchises. In fact, the rivalries tied for second place on that list also involve teams now in the NFC North. The most games played in a series in NFL history (including playoffs):

Chicago vs. Green Bay, 179
Chicago vs. Detroit, 161
Detroit vs. Green Bay, 161
New York Giants vs. Washington, 156
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia, 154
Source: NFL

Whistle stop

The Raiders often have often been near or at the top of the league in penalties, and so far this season they have yet to change their ways. The top five most-penalized teams through Week 2:

Team, No., Yards
Oakland 22, 167
New York Jet, 20, 183
Arizona, 20, 181
Philadelphia, 19, 155
Tennessee, 19, 153

The third degree

A team’s ability to convert on third down is critical crucial to its success. So far, the Patriots have done it better than anyone else, and the Steelers are at the bottom of the barrel. (It’s worth noting, of course, that New England would happily trade its 1-1 record for Pittsburgh’s 2-0 start.) The five best and worst third-down conversion rates:

BEST, No., 1st, Pct.
New England, 24, 14, 58.3
Denver, 30, 17, 56.7
Seattle, 22, 12, 54.5
Atlanta, 33, 17, 51.5
Green Bay, 26, 13, 50.0

WORST No., 1st, Pct.
San Francisco, 24, 6, 25.0
Arizona, 21, 5, 23.8
Kansas City, 26, 6, 23.1
Washington, 23, 5, 21.7
Pittsburgh, 29, 6, 20.7

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