The common DNA of the NFL's three remaining winless teams is simple: Each was expected to do much more. All three were from the AFC and it's fair to assume they had at least a chance to win their respective divisions. But now their seasons are ruined.
An 0-3 start isn't the end of the world, but it does mean we need to look at the rest of our schedule, see which games we can win, and hope that everything works out from here to find our way to the playoffs. Today, we'll look at which teams should actually start panicking over an 0-3 start, and which teams still have hope for their season.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
Just because the Cincinnati Bengals are ranked third on this list doesn't mean Ohio State doesn't have to worry. If you're a Bengals fan, the reason to be worried right now is obvious: You just watched rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels tear up the Ohio State defense. Monday Night FootballAnd when an offense scores 32 points, scoring on every possession except for one (that ended in a missed field goal), there are some things to sort out.
Still, there are signs of hope for the Bengals. Despite an 0-3 start, they have a divisional game in hand and could quickly bounce back in the AFC North. Ja'Marr Chase is looking good heading into training camp, Tee Higgins is back from a hamstring injury to make his 2024 debut on Monday night and the running game is paying off with Zack Moss and Chase Brown.
What's the other saving grace for Cincinnati, at least when it comes to productions like this one?
The other two teams are in serious trouble.
2. Tennessee Titans
The Titans' biggest problem is that they do absolutely nothing right. There is nothing that makes you feel confident in saying “Why fear the Titans?” They are 28th in the NFL in points scored and 24th in points allowed. They're not good at passing or running. All they can do is hope they get to face a worse team on their schedule.
That's where the Titans are at in terms of panic heading into 2024. This is a pretty dead season for them, but that's somewhat expected in a rebuilding season with Brian Callahan. The big issue is Will Revis is playing poor football and hasn't shown the kind of growth Titans fans would have liked to see in Year 2.
If there's a silver lining here, it's that the Titans have an easier schedule ahead of them. Many of their upcoming games are against teams that are 1-2 or 0-3, giving them a chance to improve. The bigger problem is that, as it stands, the Titans feel like a fundamentally talent-deficient organization, and that's not something that can be fixed mid-season.
Still, things could be a lot worse. They…
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
As a Jaguars fan, I've had to sit through watching Urban Meyer forget players and have receivers bump into each other. In the game against the Titans after Meyer was fired, when Laviska Shenault and Laquon Treadwell (WR1 Laquon Treadwell, by the way) bumped into each other, Titans players laughed and pointed.
This was arguably the worst loss for the Jaguars since the Gus Bradley era. Down 30 by halftime, with no signs of offense, and a defense that had been holding the team together with string and masking tape finally fell apart. This team has no character on offense, which is the first big criticism of coach Doug Pederson and company. Secondly, the entire offensive line has gotten worse. The franchise QB (who got paid a ton in the offseason) seems to hate everyone and everything, and the offensive line, which has been bad for years, just hasn't grown or improved. On top of that, the depth is thin and when CB Tyson Campbell and S Darnell Savage miss games, this is what the defense looks like.
There is no hope or silver lining for this team, nothing fun to watch, they're just depressed and waiting for the season to end so they can fire this head coach and do something half-assed again.
I need a drink, but I don't drink alcohol.
