Which 0-2 NFL Teams Can Still Make The Postseason?

It may be only two weeks into the NFL season, but many fan bases are already beginning to hit the panic button.

How many people in Dallas and Minneapolis felt their teams would be staring at 0-2 records, whereas Tampa Bay and Kansas City would be 2-0?

All that can be said is: Welcome to the National Football League, the land of unpredictability. While there might be 14 games to play, people can already get an idea of which winless teams may have caught a bad break and which winless teams can start scouting for a top-five draft pick.

St. Louis Rams

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Sam Bradford #8 of the St. Louis Rams is saked by Kamerion Wimbley #96 of the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 19, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty I

Losses against: Arizona and Oakland

The good news: Sam Bradford looks like he's the real deal, and the Rams were competitive in both games.

The bad news: They lost to arguably two of the weaker teams in the NFL and are 1-17 in their last 18 games. 

Chance for playoffs: About 10 percent. In a weak NFC West, they're still only one game out of the division lead. However, no one expected this team to compete, including most within the franchise. 

Carolina Panthers

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 19: Steve Smith #89 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter

Losses against: New York Giants and Tampa Bay

The good news: There isn't much. Matt Moore's concussion was not serious, and it appears there could finally be a connection between he and Steve Smith.

The bad news: Losing to the Giants wasn't awful, but losing, 20-7, to the Buccaneers was extremely worrying. Head coach John Fox's hot seat is starting to get hot.

Chance for playoffs: About 5 percent. They have two very good teams ahead of them in the NFC South. If the Panthers can't control the Bucs, you can probably chalk up another four losses on their schedule already.

Minnesota Vikings

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball as he is tackled by the Miami Dolphins defense during the first half of the game on September 19, 2010 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (

Losses against: New Orleans and Miami

The good news: The defense looks very strong, giving up only 21 defensive points in two games (seven against the Dolphins were off a Brett Favre fumble). Adrian Peterson doesn't seem to be missing a beat either.

The bad news: Favre looks completely disorganized and is proving you can't always miss training camp and expect to be fine. Viking fans have to hope that is his problem, because the other issue is he could be injured and is playing like his age (he turns 41 on Oct. 10). The Vikings schedule is also possibly the hardest in the league. 

Chance for playoffs:  It's a coin-flip situation for the Vikings, who have a very difficult schedule left. With games to play against New England, New York Jets, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington, plus four games against the Packers and Bears, there has to be a lot of concern right now in Minnesota. 

Cleveland Browns

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CLEVELAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Wide receiver Joshua Cribbs #16 of the Cleveland Browns makes a reception for a touchdown in front of cornerback Brandon Carr #39 of the Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (

Losses against: Tampa Bay and Kansas City

The good news: The Browns were very nearly 2-0.

The bad news: The fact is they lost to two of the worst teams in 2009 and incapable of continuing the momentum they gained at the end of last season.

Chance for playoffs:  0.003 percent. With three very good teams in the AFC North, it would take a serious virus hitting those three cities to give Cleveland any shot to make the playoffs. 

Dallas Cowboys

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SAN DIEGO - AUGUST 21: Line backer DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Dallas Cowboys in action against San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on August 21, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Losses against: Washington and Chicago

The good news: Their defensive front seven looks dominant again as they routinely pressured both Donovan McNabb and Jay Cutler. 

The bad news: Tony Romo has thrown for a lot of yards (652) but also has had turnover issues (two interceptions). Their running game hasn't shown the dominance of prior seasons. Their offensive line has holes, and they only have three cornerbacks starting. 

Chance for playoffs:  40 percent. For a team most people felt were Super Bowl contenders, there is a very good chance they could start 0-3 with an upcoming game at Houston. If they can right the ship next week, it'd be clear they can still win an NFC East that is full of inconsistent teams. 

Buffalo Bills

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: CJ Spiller #21 of the Buffalo Bills runs away from Karlos Dansby #58 of the Miami Dolphins during the NFL season opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. Miami won 15-10. (Photo by R

Losses against: Miami and Green Bay

The good news: They have three good running backs, though it looks like Marshawn Lynch is bound to be traded.

The bad news:  Other than Lee Evans, there really aren't many other good players on this team. Trent Edwards is also proving he's not a capable starting quarterback. If it wasn't bad enough, their schedule is one of the hardest in the NFL.

Chance for playoffs:  About the odds of me winning the lottery. I watched the Bills' game against the Packers today and honestly felt bad for those rooting for Buffalo. Down 34-7, on fourth down at midfield with seconds to go, Edwards chose not to throw the ball downfield and take a chance. Instead he ran out of bounds. The sad thing was that this was a trend during the whole game. If you look at their schedule, the Bills are the team most likely to go 0-16. 

Detroit Lions

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 12: Zack Bowman #35 and Danieal Manning #38 of the Chicago Bears break up a pass intended for Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions during the NFL season opening game at Soldier Field on September 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The B

Losses against: Chicago and Philadelphia

The good news: This team has competed against two decent teams—something that probably would not have been said in recent years. The Lions are just a few players away from perhaps even competing for a playoff spot and should have beaten the Bears. Jahvid Best looks like a star in the making.

The bad news: The team still doesn't know how to win. The Lions found a way to lose to the Bears and gave up a 17-7 lead to the Eagles en route to losing 35-32.  Their franchise quarterback is injured and their defense is still very suspect. 

Chances for playoffs:  5 percent. Having seen the Lions' first two games, a case could be made that they could easily be 2-0. Detroit reminds me of Houston two or three years ago. The Lions have the skill players in place and, with a few more drafts and quality signings, this team is playoff bound. However with this current roster, the odds are very slim. 

In Conclusion

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during play against the Chicago Bears at Cowboys Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The fact is it's not a shock that most of the 0-2 teams this season started out this way.

Teams like the Bills, Lions, Browns, and Rams were expected to struggle. However I don't think anyone would have felt both the Cowboys and Vikings would be in this position, but the two preseason contenders can still turn it around. The Cowboys should know this from prior experience, having started their 1993 season with an 0-2 record but ending the year with a Super Bowl crown. Two others have done it: the 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants. 

The Vikings and Cowboys obviously stand the best chance to turn their seasons around. If there had to be one other team that was most likely to rebound, I actually believe it would be the St. Louis Rams. They actually were close to winning both their games, and the NFC West right now looks like a division that could be won with a 9-7 record. 

If the NFL has taught us one thing though it is this: expect the unexpected!