NFL Emergency - Must-Win Games in Week 2

We’re just in week 2 of the new NFL season an already there are some teams in must-win situations. If these teams lose, their seasons may be over. Could there be extra reason to bet on them?

Here’s the bottom line. Since 1980, only 19 teams (about one per year) have started 0-2 and made it to the playoffs. This isn’t some secret stat that just successful football bettors know. Everyone knows it. In fact, they mentioned this stat on the NFL network the other day.

Check out this list of teams that must win this week:

Indianapolis Colts (-3 at MIN)
San Diego Chargers (-2.5 at DEN)
Seattle Seahawks (-9 home vs. SF)
Jacksonville Jaguars (-7 home vs BUF)
Cincinnati Bengals (-3 home vs TENN)
Cleveland Browns (+4.5 home vs PIT)
Houston Texans (-4.5 home vs BAL)
Minnesota Vikings (+3 home vs IND)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-9.5 home vs ATL)
San Francisco 49ers (+9 away vs SEA)
St. Louis Rams (+7 home vs NY Giants)
Oakland Raiders (+3.5 away vs KC)
Washington Redskins (-1.5 home vs NO)
Detroit Lions (+3 home vs GB)
Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5 home vs OAK)
Miami Dolphins (+7 away vs ARI)

The first four teams were teams pretty much everyone assumed would be in the playoffs. This is a big week for them.

So who can we eliminate from this list?

I think it’s safe to say that the following teams will either start 0-2 or miss the playoffs or both:

1. Cleveland Browns
2. Houston Texans (perhaps a shot this week, but no playoffs)
3. Minnesota Vikings (it’s either them or the Colts)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (possible win this week, but no playoffs)
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. Oakland Raiders (no playoffs)
7. Washington Redskins
8. Detroit Lions
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Miami Dolphins

After the main four teams (SEA, IND, SD, JAC), I only left the Bengals in, because they could pull it out.

While I put the Browns on there—not high on them at all as they were my pick to fall under the win total this season—a surprising win over the Steelers could spark them and they might put a run together.

Also, all four top teams on my list have very tough games that they could lose. The Seahawks appear to have the weakest game, but it’s a division rival and the Hawks are banged up (lost Burleson for the year this week).