The devastating NFL Week 2 stat that could spell the end of your team’s season

Week 2 of the new NFL season delivers the spectre of a devastating stat hanging over Week 1’s losers: NFL Straya previews what it means

The 2024 NFL season got off to a wildly exciting start in Week 1, with the Kansas City Chiefs getting their three-peat campaign off to a winning start over the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener thanks to Baltimore tight end Isaiah Likely’s shoe size negating a potentially game-tying touchdown at the end of regulation, while the Packers not only came up short against in the league’s first ever regular season game in Brazil, but Green Bay and Philly lost their footing on the Brazilian turf and the Packers also perhaps lost their emerging superstar quarterback Jordan Love to an MCL injury for the next few weeks.

But after the first week of the season, there’s a stat hanging over 0-1 teams head like the proverbial sword of Damocles for their prospective season.

Jaymz Clements from NFL Straya above previews Week 2 of the new NFL season, pointing out the spectre of the devastating 0-2 record hanging over Week 1’s losers.

Introducing @TomBrady's Top 3 Stars of the Week! 🏈
⭐️ @DallasCowboys LB @MicahhParsons11
⭐️ @49ers RB @jpmason27
⭐️ @Buccaneers QB @bakermayfieldpic.twitter.com/0aRt15xhIL

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 11, 2024

With an 0-1 record comes the stat - and the constant reminder of it - that since 1990, only 11% of teams that have started with consecutive losses have made the postseason.

In fact, going back to 2007, the NFL has seen only 13 of the 131 teams that started a season 0-2 make the playoffs, and none who went 0-2 last season made the playoffs.

Outside of those results, the Patriots and Steelers pulled off big upsets over much more ballyhooed opposition in Cincinnati and Atlanta respectively, while teams like the Browns, Raiders, Panthers and Giants are already scrambling after dispiriting losses.

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals slides with the ball in the second quarter of the game against the New England Patriots in Week 1. Pic: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Pre-season favourites like the Lions, Cowboys and Texans all looked impressive, while the first iteration of Monday Night Football saw the return of Aaron Rodgers after tearing his achilles in last season’s opening game… but the San Francisco 49ers still pulled out a comfortable win over the disjointed-looking Jets.

The story of the round was the detaining of Tyreek Hill by police for speeding prior to Miami’s game and his subsequent ‘handcuffs’ touchdown celebration, but elsewhere it was injures to Love and Josh Allen, as well as the struggles of the rookies quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix) and wide receivers (Marvin Harrison Jr, Rome Adunze and Malik Nabers) that held plenty of concern for fans.

As for the NFL Aussies, a terrible knee injury to Pittsburgh’s Aussie punter Cam Johnston looks to have ended his season, while fellow Aussie Daniel Faalele will want to put a forgettable Week 1 behind him.

Now Week 2 looms, kicking off with a division rivalry matchup as Josh Allen - nursing an injured left ‘not my throwing’ hand - and the Bills take on a Miami Dolphins team that’s already ruled out Raheem Mostert and needed a walk-off field goal to complete a comeback last week over the Jaguars.

On top of that tasty opening tilt, Aussie NFL fans have a tasty Week 2 slate in store.

After Friday morning’s AFC East clash, Monday 3am AEST sees fascinating match-ups between the Vikings and Niners, Cowboys and Saints and a playoff rematch in Lions-Bucs as the headliners, before Cardinals-Rams and Chiefs-Bengals give the midmorning slate some spice and Texans-Bears showcase two young QBs in prime time into Monday afternoon.

As the schedule hits Monday at 3am, there are division battles between exciting teams and some match-ups that will shine a big light on what we can expect from the rest of the season.

Can the rookie QBs make a bigger impact?

Can the ascending Houston Texans and Detroit Lions keep up their winning ways?

Will the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets put aside disappointing Week 1 outings with their veteran QBs and snag a win?

Find out with NFL Straya’s NFL Week 2 preview and in the breakdown above.

--- ---

Follow along the entire NFL season with NFL Straya:

NFL Straya on YouTube

NFL Straya on Apple Podcasts

NFL Straya on Spotify

--- ---

Originally published as The devastating NFL Week 2 stat that could spell the end of your team’s season