Three playoff contenders in danger of starting 0-2

One loss does not define a season, especially this early. However, a few teams with legitimate playoff expectations already face the possibility of falling into an early 0-2 hole. Of the 40 teams which have started 0-2 since the introduction of the 17-game schedule, only six have made the playoffs.

The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans all dropped their season openers. Each now faces another difficult matchup that could put them under immediate pressure heading into Week 3.

New England Patriots could be in trouble fast

New England’s offense struggled badly in its 13-10 loss to Seattle.

The Patriots carried a 10-3 lead into the fourth quarter before everything unraveled. Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the final quarter, while the offense failed to find any consistency when it mattered most.

Now the situation gets even tougher.

A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in his Patriots debut and is expected to miss roughly six weeks. That puts a lot of pressure on Romeo Doubs, Hunter Henry and the rest of the offense to figure things out quickly.

The matchup against Pittsburgh could turn into a low-scoring rock fight, which is exactly the type of game the Steelers are comfortable playing. If New England cannot protect Maye or create enough offense without Brown, it could be another long afternoon.

An 0-2 start could put the Patriots in real trouble early because the schedule does not get any easier. After Pittsburgh, New England faces Jacksonville and Buffalo in consecutive weeks, making it even more important for the offense to find answers fast. If it doesn't, a promising 2026 season could unravel fast.

Denver Broncos need a major response at home

Denver had one of the most disappointing performances of Week 1. The Broncos were blown out 31-10 by Kansas City, and things went wrong almost immediately. Bo Nix threw an interception on just the third play of the game, which Kansas City quickly turned into a touchdown.

Denver also failed to capitalize when its defense gave the offense opportunities. After intercepting Patrick Mahomes deep in K.C. territory, the Broncos lost eight yards on the ensuing possession and had to settle for a field goal.

The biggest concern, though, was the run defense.

Kenneth Walker III completely ran through Denver’s front seven, finishing with 173 rushing yards. He also broke off a 60-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1, exposing a major weakness that Denver will need to correct quickly.

Things do not get much easier against Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence enters Week 2 after throwing four touchdowns in the opener, and the Jaguars have enough offensive weapons to attack Denver in multiple ways.

If Jacksonville establishes the run early, it could open up even more opportunities for Lawrence through play action. Denver cannot afford another slow start from Nix while also giving up explosive plays defensively.

Houston Texans face another tough offense

Houston was much more competitive in Week 1, but the result was still the same.

The Texans scored 31 points against Buffalo and had a chance to win late, but they could not finish the job. Josh Allen carved up Houston’s secondary and helped the Bills escape with a 36-31 victory.

Now Houston has to deal with Joe Burrow and Cincinnati.

That is another difficult matchup for a defense coming off a rough performance against the pass. The Texans should still be able to score points, but they could once again find themselves in a shootout where C.J. Stroud and the offense are forced to be nearly perfect.

Houston has plenty of talent, but another difficult quarterback matchup gives it a real chance of opening the season 0-2.