Which 0-2 team should be worried the most?

[Clayton]

Bengals may have that pick at this point. haha Then we will draft Harrison Jr. and tag and trade Tee.

Its an interesting question to pose as to whether or not Harrison Jr's pick is even tradable if your team already has a QB.

Is he going to get valued like a franchise QB?

 

[MileHigh64]

Agree that the Bengals, Chargers and Vikings probably should be most worried given the pre-season expectations.

However as a fan of the Broncos, it's painful to see the once proud franchise slide further into oblivion with no short term hope in sight. Worried? Maybe not. Depressed? Absolutely. Superbowl 50 was 7 long years ago.

 

[Niner Outlaw]

Agree that the Bengals, Chargers and Vikings probably should be most worried given the pre-season expectations.

However as a fan of the Broncos, it's painful to see the once proud franchise slide further into oblivion with no short term hope in sight. Worried? Maybe not. Depressed? Absolutely. Superbowl 50 was 7 long years ago.

Since you're a Denver fan, you should be able to tell us. What is the problem with the team? Wilson, the defense, the DC, the HC, the altitude?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I guess I default to the Bengals just because they had a real chance to win the SB, so being 0-2 the way they have gone about it will raise alarm bells. Don't think many of the SB contenders lost sleep over say, the Minnesota Vikings. As long as Burrow is OK, they should bounce back. Too talented not to.

The Chargers are another, unlike the Bengals though I am not so sure how unlucky they are versus they just build a profoundly flawed team. The defense still stinks and some of the players they are relying on are frankly made of balsa wood. Not sure playing out the whole season goes in their favor.

 

[MileHigh64]

Since you're a Denver fan, you should be able to tell us. What is the problem with the team? Wilson, the defense, the DC, the HC, the altitude?

As in most cases, it's impossible to tie the losing to just one thing.

Current Team:

• Defense can't hold a lead. Most in Denver blame new DC, Vance Joseph. Actually, the offense has done enough to win games.
• Russell Wilson is still inconsistent. Although he looks sharper this year, he's past his prime
• 2nd half adjustments. Broncos have dominated both first halves, only to lay an egg in the 2nd half
• Most of us in Denver like Sean Payton. Feels like we actually have a real coach but he inherited a bad team. Obviously, it's way too early in the season to know how it will all turn out but the Broncos just dropped two of their most winnable games (at home).

Last 7 Years:

• Missed on draft picks and most notably, failed to find a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning. I've lost count on how many QB's the Broncos have had under center.
• In hindsight, fleeced on the RW trade. Not having first round draft picks has hurt this team. Gave up another round 1 pick in a rare trade to get a coach.
• Bad coaching hires - Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett
• Chronic injuries every year. Obviously every team deals with this but the Broncos were really snake bit the last couple of years.
• Once Pat Bowlen died, the ownership battle that ensued for years did no favors to an organization that needed some clear guidance.
• A perpetuated culture of losing. There are no current players on the team that were with the organization when achieving a record over .500. The team just doesn't know how to win anymore. They've also lost one of the greatest home field advantages in the league.
• Tough division with the rise of Mahomes and to some degree, Justin Herbert.

I'm sure there's more but these are the things that stand out to me.

 

[DJ]

Could have done this as a poll,

 

[DJ]

The Chargers because of......coaching.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Probably the answer should be Bengals simply because they are considered SB contenders but honestly, I can easily see them missing the play-offs if this injury to Burrow lingers. I just don't see a 12 straight win run coming and they will have a tough time in their division.
The Chargers will be fucked if they lose to the Vikings and Staley's days will be numbered. I highly doubt they make the play-offs in the AFC with the way that defense is playing.
The Vikings need to protect the ball better, plain and simple but they could bounce back and get into the post season simply because there are only 3 really good teams in the NFC.
The rest of the 0-2 teams are just bad teams going nowhere anyway. I'm just happy the Seahawks managed to avoid the 0-2 start.

 

[Clayton]

The Chargers are another, unlike the Bengals though I am not so sure how unlucky they are versus they just build a profoundly flawed team. The defense still stinks and some of the players they are relying on are frankly made of balsa wood. Not sure playing out the whole season goes in their favor.

The defense still stinks is kind of ridiculous, tbh. Their pass defense is giving up 9.7 yards per pass. They're making everyone look like the greatest show on turf.

 

[fastforward]

Chargers for me based on defensive performance. There's nothing the Bengals can do with a QB injury on a QB-centric team. The Broncos were projected to be in a battle for 3rd in the AFC West, so it's not a shock. The Patriots looked to be outgunned talent-wise before the season began. The NFC North was thought to be scrappy with no team likely to dominate divisional games. The Vikings and Bears weren't serious Super Bowl contenders. The Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals were projected to be strong division winners so a lot of AFC teams looked to be fighting for the 3 wild-card places. The Chargers are in a hole of their own making. They probably need to go 10-5 from here versus a tough schedule just to sneak a playoff berth.

 

[msgkings322]

Every year a couple teams are surprisingly good/playoff teams and every year a couple teams that were supposed to be that suck instead (often for injury reasons i.e. Jets)

It's too early to say but soon we might be able to discern who the surprises are. Maybe the Bengals have a bad year, and the Jets. Maybe the Rams are actually good, etc.

 

[Moab]

It's early and lots of odd things happen. 2 years ago Philly started off pretty bad but turned it around once their schedule softened up. I am not willing to look at all of their schedules and project it out, but they all have 15 games to get it turned around. Many of the teams look at the season as a 4 part journey, first 4 to figure out what you are, next 4 to work to your strengths, next 4 to start making a push and last 4 to get it done...last 1 is hopefully to get playoff position, if you're good. Just to give it some context, if you're not a good team, the last game could be tank time for draft position, previous 4 is getting younger guys and backups playing time to see what they are, previous 4 are when you figure out getting it done is not winning too much cuz you're going to fire you coach at the end of the year and if there isn't talent on the roster the GMs nuts might be in a vise, and the 4 previous to that are when you realize shit went wrong and your hopium dealer has bad stuff, the first 4 you're hoping to not overreact.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

What I don't get from the Chargers is that they invested pretty heavily in that defense and it is flat out awful. The offense has put up points and protected the ball and they still find themselves losing. Remarkably, Staley hasn't made some totally boneheaded decision to lose a game. They have just sucked at sealing the deal. It's kind of typical Chargers though. They always have promise only to fall flat, it seems. Must be the stink running down for Spanos upstairs.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I don't think the Vikings would mind bottoming out and moving on from Cousins. I thought they were in the middle of a rebuild, tbh, and last year they just played really well

They kept trying to tank and the other teams wouldn't let them. If enough of those one score wins had gone the other way, they would be one year closer to rebuild

 

[Xeliou66]

I would say the Pats, Chargers and Broncos should be most worried - the Chargers are continuing their pattern of choking and losing close games that they could win. If they don’t make the playoffs, Staley is gone, I’m certain of that.
The Pats are in a tough division and just don’t look very impressive, I don’t think they can contend for the playoffs right now and that’s disappointing to Pats fans.
The Broncos defense looks weak, and they were supposed to have a good defense. Losing two home games isn’t a good way to start the Sean Payton era.
I expected most of the other teams to suck, although I thought the Bears would improve, I believe Fields is just a bust.
The Bengals will be fine IMO, they started out 0-2 last year as well, unless Burrow is hurt and can’t play well, then I would be concerned.