Predicting when each of the NFL’s 0-2 teams will collect their first win of 2025 with playoff hopes already fading
0-2 is not a very fun place to be. How long will the league’s winless teams after Week 2 have to wait to join the win column?
0-2 is not a very friendly place to be in the NFL. And yet this morning, that is exactly where nine teams are, with a chance for a 10th depending on how things go on Monday Night Football for the Houston Texans. The statistical odds of a postseason run at 0-2 are slim, but not impossible. So consider the sense of urgency heightened for every team that enters Week 3 without a win.
But when will the wins come? Who will actually buckle down and stack the victories? Here’s my prediction for when each of the nine 0-2 teams collects their first win this season.
Predicting when each 0-2 team collects their first win in 2025
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have been scrappy in each of their first two games, posting one-score losses to the Cardinals and 49ers at home. That’s the good news. The bad news is they’re on the road in Seattle and Buffalo the next two weeks — the latter coming with the Bills getting extra rest before the game. Look for Week 5 or Week 6 to bring the first win of the year for the Saints, when they play the Giants and Patriots at home.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the New England Patriots in Week 6
New York Jets
New York, after a scrappy matchup with the Steelers in Week 1, got a taste of some tough medicine in Week 2. They could be eyeing a Week 4 matchup in Miami with the Dolphins as a breakthrough matchup, but Miami is at home and will be coming off of extra rest after playing on Thursday Night Football in Week 3. If the Jets don’t get a breakthrough there, Week 5 at home versus the Cowboys could be a winning spot — but the Week 7 matchup versus the Carolina Panthers in New York feels like the safe prediction.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 7
Miami Dolphins
Miami let a come from behind victory slip through their fingertips on Sunday with shoddy operations in the final two minutes. Even then, De’Von Achane was a few inches along the sideline away from saving the day anyway. Unlike the teams spotlighted so far, there’s no first-year coach in Miami running the show — it’s Year 4 under Mike McDaniel, which makes issues like that inexcusable.
Their reward for 0-2 is a trip to Buffalo on Thursday night. And that makes the question whether or not owner Stephen Ross makes early changes to his football operation if Miami loses there. Going from Thursday to Monday gives the Dolphins almost two weeks of prep to play another team on this list in Week 4 — lots of logic would dictate that’s a winning spot so long as McDaniel’s bunch can figure out who is supposed to be on the field and avoid pre-snap penalties.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the New York Jets in Week 4
Cleveland Browns
This one gets a little scary. The next three are against NFC North opponents (Green Bay, Detroit, and Minnesota). The Vikings are a little shoddy offensively right now but it’s hard to imagine Cleveland consistently working that defense. After that trio of games, it’s a date in Pittsburgh. Winnable games become more available after that stretch, including Miami, at New England, at New York (Jets) in succession and then at Las Vegas in November and home against Tennessee in early December.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the Miami Dolphins in Week 7
New York Giants
Oh boy. Listen, the Giants are far from the worst football team on this list. But the schedule — I want to know who the Giants pissed off in the schedule-makers’ offices. Here’s what we’re working with:
– v. Kansas City Chiefs
– v. Los Angeles Chargers
– @ New Orleans Saints
– v. Philadelphia Eagles
– @ Denver Broncos
– v. Philadelphia Eagles
– v. San Francisco 49ers
– @ Chicago Bears
– v. Green Bay Packers
– @ Detroit Lions
That’s the next 10 football games for the Giants. I have to give them the Saints game for fear of seeing this streak skid into December.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 5
Carolina Panthers
Carolina gets the Dolphins and the Jets off of this list in the next 5 games. They also have two games on the schedule against the Saints the rest of the year. Home against Miami in Week 5 feels like a sturdy spot, with the Dolphins coming off of a Monday Night contest the week prior and the coaching staff very much on thin ice.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the Miami Dolphins in Week 5
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee’s best chance may be as a road warrior. They get the red hot Colts in Nashville Week 3 before three straight games on the road in Houston, Arizona, and Las Vegas. Realistically, the two west coast games feel winnable given the strengths of the rosters — but the extended travel is a bummer, particularly the second consecutive west coast game against the Raiders. I’ll say the Titans get the breakout win for Cam Ward against the Cardinals.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5
Chicago Bears
The Week 2 loss for Chicago is the kind that could take the wind out of your sails. Fortunately for Chicago, they’re getting Dallas at home in Week 3, where the matchups could favor the Bears to get their breakthrough win — especially with offensive line starter Cooper Beebe ailing amid an injury in the Cowboys’ overtime win over the Giants.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3
Kansas City Chiefs
Yeah, don’t expect the Chiefs here very long.
Official prediction: First win comes versus the New York Giants in Week 3
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