With six NFL teams at 0-3, which one needs a win most? - ESPN

Six teams head into Week 4 of the NFL season without a win, and there's a bright side… and a downside. Two teams will get their first wins (barring the unlikely event of the NFL's first tie since 2022), and two teams will not.

Of the six winless teams, four will face off — the Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans and New York Jets at Miami Dolphins. The other two 0-3 teams are the New Orleans Saints (at the 3-0 Buffalo Bills) and New York Giants (hosting the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers).

History says a win for the 0-3s would offer a slim chance to make the playoffs, while a loss, well, it would take a historic feat to defy the odds. Since 1990 (when the NFL expanded to a 12-team playoff format), only one team (1992 San Diego Chargers) has made the playoffs after starting 0-4, but 35 have done it after starting 1-3. In the 14-team playoff format that began in 2020, five have made it after starting 1-3 and all nine 0-4 teams have fallen short.

There have been four seasons in the past 16 when at least six teams have been 0-3 (2013, 2019, 2020, 2025), and of the winless coaches, two are in their first year. Aaron Glenn (Jets) and Kellen Moore (Saints) are the 31st and 32nd coaches — not including coaches who have had previous interim jobs — to start 0-3 since 1990. The previous 30 averaged 4.7 wins per season. The last team to finish with a winning record from that group was the 2004 Buffalo Bills, coached by Mike Mularkey.

Since then, 18 straight 0-3 teams with first-year coaches finished with losing records, and Bobby Ross with the 1992 Chargers is the only first-year coach to start 0-3 and make the playoffs since 1990.

Our experts weighed in on what 0-3 means for these six teams and what could happen going forward.

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