Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

These 0-2 NFL teams have best odds of making the playoffs

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated Sep 20, 2023 5:34 PM ET

No fan wants to see their football team start the season with a 0-2 record, especially with how slim the chances are that they will rebound enough to make the playoffs.

Only 31 of the 270 teams that have started 0-2 have made the playoffs since 1990, according to The Ringer. That makes up roughly 11%, and there are nine teams heading into Week 3 that still don't have a win on the 2023 campaign.

But as Lloyd Christmas might assume, there's a chance. Heck, the Cincinnati Bengals started the 2022 season 0-2 and managed to make the playoffs.

So which of the nine teams sitting winless ahead of Week 3 has best odds of making the playoffs?

Which one of these teams 0-2 start is more shocking? pic.twitter.com/R5naxSP5RO
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 20, 2023

Over at DraftKings, the Los Angeles Chargers have the best odds at making the playoffs despite an 0-2 start at +140 odds. Justin Herbert and company have been close in both games and have only come up short by a couple of points. They will have another opportunity to get into the win column in Week 3 when they face the Minnesota Vikings — an 0-2 team that is listed at +260 odds to make the playoffs.

It should be noted that the Bengals' odds of overcoming their 0-2 slump can't be found on DK or other major sportsbooks following the news that Burrow has aggravated a preseason calf injury and is at risk of missing games. Until it becomes clear whether he will play or not, the odds of Cincinnati making the playoffs despite a 0-2 start two years in a row are unknown.

The odds for the other teams that have started the season 0-2 are the Patriots (+330), Broncos (+450), Bears (+650), Panthers (+700), Texans (+1100) and Cardinals (+3000).

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