Eight NFL teams remain winless after two weeks of play, but several outlets have ranked their playoff chances, with the Houston Texans emerging as the best positioned to recover from an 0-2 start.
Historically, an 0-2 record has been a near-knockout blow. Per CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo, only 12% of teams to start 0-2 since 2002 have reached the playoffs. However, structural changes to the league have shifted that calculation. SB Nation's Mark Schofield noted that the NFL's expansion to a 17-game schedule and expanded playoff format mean an 0-2 start is "no longer the deathblow for a team's playoff chances." Schofield pointed to recent precedent, citing last year's Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, and Carolina Panthers as examples of teams that overcame early struggles.
While multiple outlets have ranked the 0-2 teams by their remaining playoff viability, the reporting available does not specify the full methodology behind the Texans' ranking or detailed comparisons among the eight winless teams.