The Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Las Vegas Raiders, along with the Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers are the only teams in the league with 3-0 records. Since 1990, teams that have won their first three games of the season have reached the NFL playoffs at a .750 clip.
On the other hand, there have only been seven instances in league history where a club overcame an 0-3 start to reach the postseason—the most recent example being the 2025 Houston Texans.
DeMeco Ryan’s team, along with the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans, are the five clubs that dug themselves into that hole this season.
Football food for thought in Week 4 of the 2026 NFL Season
Thursday, October 1
Pittsburgh (2-1) at Cleveland (2-1): Every team in the AFC North owns a 2-1 record. These longtime rivals have split their two-game set each of the past four seasons, with the home team winning all eight games. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson threw five TD passes and was caught just once.
Sunday, October 4
Indianapolis (1-2) vs. Washington (1-2) (London): Is “London Calling” for a pair of 1-2 teams? Jokes aside, both the Colts and Commanders picked up their first victories of the season on Sunday—each club winning by two points. Washington gave up 92 points, and Indianapolis gave up 91. Yikes!
Tennessee (0-3) at Baltimore (2-1): Robert Saleh’s winless club head north to face the Ravens, who are coming off a wild victory over the Cowboys in Rio. The Titans own an abysmal 12-49 record in their last 61 games since starting 7-3 in 2022. Ravens running back Derrick Henry has scored six TDs in three games.
Arizona (1-2) at NY Giants (2-1): Mike LaFleur’s team has dropped two straight since its Week 1 upset of the Chargers, allowing a combined 67 points in losses to the Seahawks and 49ers. Big Blue is above .500 despite the fact that the Giants have made just six field goals in their final eight quarters of play.
Jacksonville (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-1): The Jaguars humbled the Patriots on Sunday and allowed an NFL-low 36 points. Zac Taylor’s club gave up 411 total yards and 30 points in a loss to Pittsburgh. It’s a battle of first overall picks with Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (2020).
New England (1-2) at Buffalo (3-0): Last season, Mike Vrabel’s club lost two of its first three games and still reached the Super Bowl. The Bills turned the ball over five times on Sunday and still beat the Chargers. Speaking of turnovers, Drake Maye has 15 of them in his last seven outings (including the playoffs).
Dallas (1-2) at Houston (0-3): The Cowboys’ supposedly improved defense has already given up 10 TDs, seven through the air, in three games. For the second year in a row, DeMeco Ryans’ club dug an 0-3 hole. However, Houston still rallied to reach the playoffs. It may be now or never for the Texans.
LA Rams (1-2) at Philadelphia (2-1): Along with a playoff meeting in 2024, this will be the clubs’ fifth meeting in four seasons. Sean McVay’s talented Rams have turned the ball over six times in three games. On the other hand, the Eagles are the only team in the league without a takeaway this season.
Green Bay (1-2) and Tampa Bay (0-3): Flashback to 2025. The Packers open 9-3-1. Including the playoffs, they have lost seven of their last eight games. Todd Bowles’ club is 6-2 after eight weeks, and 2-10 since. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is out (thumb), so in goes undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels (Kansas).
NY Jets (1-2) at Chicago (2-1): The Green and White put in an effort in Sunday’s Detroit game but still fell short. The Bears rolled up 375 total yards behind quarterback Case Keenum in a convincing win Monday night against the Eagles. The Jets haven’t intercepted a pass in 20 straight games under Aaron Glenn.
Miami (0-3) at Minnesota (3-0): Jeff Hafley’s club will play the remainder of 2026 minus running back De’Von Achane. Kevin O’Connell’s team is 3-0 for the second time in three seasons and has done it with two different quarterbacks. The Vikings allowed three offensive TDs and led the NFL with 14 sacks.
Denver (2-1) at San Francisco (3-0): Sean Payton’s team was outgained 273-67 and was outscored 16-0 in the first half but rallied to beat the Rams. The Niners continue to roll, and Kyle Shanahan’s club owns a 2-0 record within the NFC West. Denver has been outscored a combined 40-10 in the first half this season.
LA Chargers (0-3) at Seattle (2-1): The Bolts are off to their worst start since 2017, when the team dropped its first four games but finished 9-7. Last Sunday, the reigning Super Bowl champions saw their 12-game overall winning streak end at Landover. The ‘Hawks ran for a season-low 44 yards.
Kansas City (3-0) at Las Vegas (3-0): The clubs not only have the same record, but each club has scored 88 points. Andy Reid owns a 21-5 mark in the series (21-5) as Kansas City’s head coach since 2013. It’s reunion time for ex-Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs) and head coach Klint Kubiak (Raiders).
Sunday night
Detroit (2-1) at Carolina (1-2): Talk about consistency? The Lions have scored exactly 31 points in each of their first three games. Along with last season’s playoff loss to the Rams, the Panthers have dropped their last three home games. Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs will be a problem for Carolina’s struggling run defense.
Monday, October 5
Atlanta (1-2) at New Orleans (1-2): Two teams that might be a little better than their records indicate. But one reason these clubs are under .500 is that both have simply struggled to hang onto the ball. The Falcons tied for last in the league with eight turnovers, while the Saints gave up the pigskin seven times.
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