Ranking NFL's nine winless teams: Who has most hope to turn 2024 season around before it's too late?

Reason for optimism: The Lamar Jackson–Zay Flowers connection looks great.

The Ravens are a big toe and 10-point crumble away from being 2-0, so things aren’t as bleak as they might appear in the Charm City. Baltimore is 0-2 for the first time since 2015. It’s also the first time the club lost back-to-back games Jackson started and finished since 2020. 

The Ravens are the fifth team since 2000 to start 0-2 after hosting the conference championship game in the previous season, joining the 2015 Seahawks, 2003 Eagles, 2002 Steelers, and 2002 Rams. Three of the previous four made it back to the playoffs, with the 2002 Rams (who started 0-5 and finished 7-9) being the lone exception. Pedigree can win out. Baltimore has issues to smooth out, including an O-line with concerns to open the season and a defense giving up too many big plays under first-year coordinator Zach Orr. 

The brightest spot so far has been Jackson’s connection with Flowers, the second-year pro who just racked up seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. The most encouraging aspect of Zay’s day was that it wasn’t the quick bubble screens or gimmick plays where he did damage; three of his seven grabs came on throws of 15-plus air yards, and just one fell under four air yards. In 16 games last season, just 14 of Flowers’ 77 catches came on tosses of 15-plus air yards. 

It’s a painfully small sample size, but if Flowers becomes a consistent threat in intermediate, over-the-middle routes — à la Amon-Ra St. Brown in Detroit — the Ravens’ offense could completely open up. The young wideout has shown the ability to swiftly get in and out of breaks, owning the talent to be more than a screen maven. The hope is that Todd Monken will continue to use him as such as Baltimore attempts to dig out of the early-season hole.  

Reason for optimism: Zac Taylor’s club has been here (too many times) before.

This marks the third consecutive season in which the Bengals started 0-2. In 2022, they went to the AFC title game, and last year, they still finished 9-8 despite Joe Burrow suffering a season-ending injury in Week 11. It’s old hat for Burrow to begin the season in the red. The QB is 1-9 in his career in Weeks 1 and 2.  

Week 1’s loss to New England was a dismal affair in which Cincinnati looked like a team that sat its starters for the preseason. Week 2 looked much better, with the defense flying around and the offense looking crisper. Miscues cost the Bengals — including a Burrow fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter — but there are worse misdeeds than losing to the back-to-back reigning Super Bowl champs in Kansas City. 

The good news is that Cincy outgained Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs 320-286 despite Tee Higgins being out and Ja’Marr Chase being held to four catches for 35 yards. The emergence of Mike Gesicki and Andrei Iosivas, as well as a big catch from rookie Jermaine Burton, could portend a more diverse offense in 2024. 

When Higgins eventually returns, we’ll see if Chase gets back to his field-stretching ways. Thus far this season, the Bengals’ WR1 has been targeted just twice on 22 vertical routes (two catches for 40 yards), according to Next Gen Stats. Chase’s average depth of route has decreased each season, but keeping those explosive plays alive makes Cincinnati extremely dangerous. Higgins returning to the lineup (whether this week or not) should help open things up, adding a presence who can win one-on-one matchups. Per NGS, Burrow has faced man coverage on 40 percent of his dropbacks without Higgins, averaging a 33.3 percent success rate against man coverage compared to a 48.9 percent success rate vs. zone. 

Given the Bengals history and the fact that they have already made strides without Higgins on the field, it would be foolish to count out Burrow and Co. in the AFC playoff race. Additionally, it’s not as if the rest of the AFC North has played crisply to open the season. 

Reason for optimism: Brian Thomas Jr. is a weapon to further exploit.

Trevor Lawrence came correct, saying after Sunday’s letdown that there is too much talent for the offense to remain such a slog. Behind an O-line that has gotten wrecked, Lawrence has been scattershot to open the season, at times missing passes like a preseason QB3. Particularly concerning is the quarterback’s inefficiency on quick pass attempts, which is historically what Doug Pederson’s offenses do best. He completed just eight of 15 quick passes for 49 yards (-24.2% CPOE) against Cleveland. 

With the Jags getting bested in the trenches on both sides of the ball, the biggest bright spot has been rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Advanced metrics love the explosive first-round pick. He’s averaging 3.1 yards per route run, tied for ninth among all wideouts and best in his draft class, per Next Gen Stats. His 1.22 EPA per target is fourth among receivers, and his +9.8 receiving EPA is ninth. The film shows an advanced receiver who can generate separation, gobble up DBs and stretch the field. He should have more than eight total targets in two games, especially considering he’s turned that meager target share into six catches for 147 yards and a touchdown. 

If the Jags are to turn things around, the entire passing operation needs a jump-start after ranking 25th through two weeks. Lawrence could begin by feeding his dynamic rookie more often. 

Bonus reason for optimism: With Dre Greenlaw still sidelined by injury in San Francisco, the Jags have taken on the mantle of “Top LB duo in the NFL.” Fred Warner remains the LB1, but Devin Lloyd is right behind through two weeks, flying to the football with bad intentions. Paired with tackling demon Foye Oluokun, the middle of Jacksonville’s defense has been extraordinary so far. 

Reason for optimism: Jonathan Taylor has his burst back. 

The Colts have made the playoffs just twice after starting 0-2 (2014 and 1987), and Sunday’s loss to the Jordan Love-less Packers wasn’t promising, as Gus Bradley’s defense got pummeled on the ground and Anthony Richardson tossed three interceptions. 

Indy knew it would be a roller coaster with Richardson after he entered the NFL with just 13 college starts under his belt. The hope was that 2023 would be the break-in season, so he could fly unimpeded in 2024. Injuries changed that calculous. Sunday marked just his sixth NFL start. Growing pains are expected. Richardson has flashed enough massive potential to ultimately make it worth the bumpy ride. What the 22-year-old QB needs is aid. Aid from his blockers, aid from a defense that’s gotten trampled, aid from receivers who have dropped balls.

One player the Colts can lean on while Richardson gets his sea legs: running back Jonathan Taylor. After last year’s hold-in and injury issues, the star running back looks back to his old self. JT bursts through the line like a Mustang on fire, leaving linebackers in his wake. On Sunday, Taylor totaled 12 carries for 103 yards and +55 rushing yards over expected, his most RYOE in a game since Week 15 of 2021. He also forced five missed tackles across 14 touches. 

Shane Steichen’s decision to bench the star back during the entire fourth quarter because the Colts were in pass mode belies credibility. Even if Taylor isn’t a prolific pass catcher out of the backfield, sitting your best offensive weapon for an entire quarter is folly — hopefully one Steichen doesn’t repeat. If defenses are going to sit back to slow Richardson’s deep attack, Taylor should gobble up chunk gains. 

At this point, Taylor is the most consistent thing going for Indy. The 25-year-old back owns a game-changing gear and can shoulder a massive load. His presence and production should help settle Richardson down during the roller-coaster dips. Taylor hasn’t looked fully healthy in a couple of years. He did this past Sunday. The Colts need to ride that stallion.  

Reason for optimism: The mistakes are correctable. 

In an alternate universe, Titans fans are spending the week cheersing each other in Nashville for their 2-0 start under new coach Brian Callahan. In the real world, they’re 0-2 for the second time in three years, mainly due to disastrous mistakes. 

If not for two boneheaded Will Levis turnovers and a pair of unforgivable punt blocks, the Titans would be tied with the Texans atop the division instead of in a three-way tie at the bottom. (Hey, at least Indy and Jacksonville are playing LEGOs in the basement with them!)

The running game behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears has been stellar. And when he’s not coughing it up while under pressure behind a still-struggling offensive line, Levis has uncorked some beautiful bombs. The question for Callahan is whether he can trust his QB to negate the epic brain farts or whether that’s simply who Levis is. If the second-year pro commits a third disastrous mistake in three weeks, it will be hard for the first-year head coach to look at the rest of his roster and say he’s doing everything he can to win. 

The offense and special teams have let down Dennard Wilson’s defense. Jeffery Simmons and rookie T’Vondre Sweat are a massive pairing in the middle, disrupting the line of scrimmage. Ernest Jones has been a great pickup, as expected. Harold Landry is completely back from a 2022 ACL tear, gobbling up three sacks and a bevy of pressures to open the season. And the revamped secondary, which was woeful last season, sits 10th in pass EPA allowed (-15.2) and ninth in EPA per dropback (-0.23).

Reason for optimism: Sean McVay didn’t forget how to coach.

Injuries have decimated the Rams. In fact, “decimated” might be putting it too lightly. Injuries have ripped the heart out of McVay’s squad, Temple of Doom style. First, it was the O-line that saw a barrage of issues. Then Puka Nacua. Now Cooper Kupp. Whoever is stabbing the Rams’ Voodoo doll has gone overboard. 

Matthew Stafford struggled sans Kupp last season, generating a 77.6 passer rating without the wideout compared to a 101.2 mark with him on the field. Nacua’s injury hurts, but Kupp’s stings worse. At least with Kupp on the field, Stafford could manage the beaten-down offensive line by getting the ball out quickly to his security blanket. Last year, Stafford was pressured on 40.5 percent of his dropbacks without Kupp, compared to just 32.1 percent of dropbacks with the receiver.

That’s the negative. Now for the positive. 

McVay remains one of the best coaches in the NFL. Sure, he left his starters in too long in Sunday’s blowout loss at Arizona, but he didn’t forget how to X-and-O his way out of a box. Did you forget the Baker Mayfield game? Did everyone black out last year while he took a club supposedly in a rebuild to the postseason? 

The Rams still boast talent, and as long as Stafford remains upright, they have a quarterback who can make a patchwork line function until the WRs return. With a banged-up receiving corps, McVay’s run game — his bread and butter — becomes the default center of operations. Pro Bowl RB Kyren Williams should see an uptick in work, while rookie Blake Corum could finally get meaningful snaps. Can they get enough blocks to keep Los Angeles ahead of the chains moving forward? 

The road ahead is fraught with challenging games, starting with Sunday’s bout against San Francisco — another club dealing with a trove of injuries. If McVay keeps the Rams’ season alive through this injury-riddled stretch, it’ll add another feather to his coaching cap.

Reason for optimism: Vance Joseph’s defense is doing its part.

I’m not here to relive Bo Nix‘s early-season struggles. Broncos fans have had enough nightmares of the two-week disaster. Instead, let’s give credit to Jospeh’s defense, which kept the games close while the offense plodded and imploded. The Denver D has been good for seven of eight quarters, with the third quarter in Seattle being the outlier at this point. 

Despite losing some key playmakers from last year’s squad, Denver currently ranks in the top 10 in yards, points allowed and EPA per play through two games. Are the numbers opponent-based or a sign that Joseph’s pressure defense can keep things afloat until Sean Payton’s offense finds some sort of traction on the slippery Mile High mountain? 

On Sunday, Zach Allen finished with a career-high nine pressures (by PFF’s count) and a sack on 28 pass rushes against the Steelers, wreaking havoc in the backfield for long stretches. Joseph has brought waves and waves of blitzers, generating a 44.6 percent QB pressure rate this season — second-best in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. The Broncos have blitzed at a 57.1 percent rate through two games; the next closest is Carolina at 36.7 percent, per NGS. Bringing extra rushers can stress the secondary, which, despite giving up some plays, has shown the ability to hold its own for the most part. 

With Payton’s offense struggling in a rebuilding year, the Broncos’ best chance to stack wins comes from the defense forcing turnovers and playing low-scoring affairs.

Reason for optimism: Malik Nabers is legit. 

It’s getting late early for Brian Daboll’s club after the Week 2 kicker fiasco cost Big Blue a chance at a victory. From Daniel Jones‘ disastrous Week 1 to a defense that still can’t get off the field despite the coordinator change, there is little for Giants fans to get excited about. 

Malik Nabers is the beam of light in Gotham. 

The rookie certainly produced in Week 2, generating 127 yards and his first career touchdown while being targeted on 18 of 26 routes (69.2%). He joined Odell Beckham Jr. (four times in 2014) as the only NYG rookies in the Super Bowl era to enjoy a game with at least 10 receptions, 125 yards and a touchdown. Yeah, the late drop was tough, but the G-Men aren’t even in that game to begin with if not for Nabers’ overall dynamism.

Through two weeks, Nabers ranks fourth in receiving yards (193), boasts the highest target share (39.1%), the second-highest air yards share (57.9%) and the third-most yards after catch (109) among all wide receivers, per NGS. The LSU product has been particularly productive on in-breaking routes, catching eight passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Nabers can win on every level and has the run-after-catch ability to turn short, easy throws from Jones into significant gains. With a limited QB, Nabers is an essential appliance. 

This is the type of electric playmaker the Giants thought they were getting when they drafted Kadarius Toney.

Reason for optimism: Dave Canales opted for a clean slate.

It took just two games for Canales to bench Bryce Young. Sitting a No. 1 overall pick two weeks into his second season is a gutsy move for a first-time head coach, but it speaks to Young’s overwhelming struggles. While Canales deserves a modicum of credit for making such a bold decision, he should also shoulder some blame. After all, the coach who aided Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa had all offseason to work with Young, yet the QB looked worse in 2024 than he did in his tumultuous rookie season. 

There isn’t much to be optimistic about in Carolina. There are few individuals opponents fear. The team’s best player, Derrick Brown, is on IR. The offense can’t move the ball through the air or on the ground. The offseason signings on the offensive line have been average upgrades. The defensive line gets demolished off the ball. If this were a house, it’d be a complete teardown job. And after two weeks, Canales decided to rip out the kitchen and cook with a George Foreman Grill for the foreseeable future. 

Young’s benching makes even more sense when you view it through the prism of Andy Dalton‘s last start. In Week 3, 2023, Dalton completed 34 of 58 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns against Seattle. It was the best Carolina’s offense looked all of last year. 

The optimist would suggest that perhaps the 36-year-old quarterback can make the proper reads, get the ball out on time and isn’t afraid to stand in under pressure — all areas in which Young has struggled. Maybe we’ll see an offense that isn’t so inept after all. There would still be a massive rebuild ahead, but at least with a functioning QB, Canales and Panthers brass would know which pieces are worth keeping and which they need to move on from — with Young being at the forefront of that question.