New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns: NFL History Not Kind to 0-3 Starts

For the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns, NFL history is not in their favor.

In case you were wondering, these are the only teams without a win in the NFL thus far in the 2012 NFL season. 

Beginning the season 0-3 is a hole that only three teams in history have escaped from to make the postseason since the NFL adopted its current playoff platform in 1990. Only the 1992 San Diego Chargers (who started 0-4), 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills have reversed their fortunes.

For the Saints, there is still light at the end of the tunnel, but the Green Bay Packers are up next and looking for a victory themselves after having one swiped from them against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. 

If any team could come back from a 0-3 start to make the playoffs, it's the Drew Brees-led Saints, but even that seems improbable at the moment. The future Hall of Fame quarterback can carve up the opposition with ease when things are going good. The key word in the previous sentence is "when", and right now the Saints are in a downward spiral. 

What is downright sorry for the Saints this season is their inability to stop the run. Currently ranked last in the league, the porous run defense will keep Brees and the offense on the sidelines far too often this season. Given, it's only three games into the 2012 season, but the Saints are allowing 215 yards per game on the ground. While this number is due to drop over time, this trend isn't good. It's hard to believe that the Saints defense could be this bad, but it's true.  

Having already lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, the young Cleveland Browns are doomed. April 25, 2013 couldn't come soon enough for the Browns, who can certainly begin to scout who they will select No. 1 in the 2013 NFL draft.

The Browns have lost their first four games by a combined 25 points, which tells you that they are coming close to putting one in the win column.

But the remainder of the Browns schedule this season is absolutely brutal.

To add insult to injury, they'll have to wait until Week 10 for their bye to collect themselves. Until then, they only play one team, the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7, which currently has a losing record. Starting the season 0-9 is a definite possibility for the Browns. 

Up next for Cleveland are the surging New York Giants. The Giants won't take the Browns lightly but, instead, will show them how a defending Super Bowl champion operates. While the future is bright for the Browns, next year couldn't come soon enough. 

So, what are the odds for the Saints and/or the Browns to make the playoffs this season?

Technically it's 2.8 percent for the Saints and something nearly impossible for the Browns.

If the Saints don't pull out a win this week in Green Bay, they may be battling the Browns the remainder of the season for position in next April's draft.

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