Fewer things in professional sports are more deflating than when an NFL team starts the season 0-2. Even though it is not a statistical impossibility to come back from an 0-2 start to make the playoffs, losing the first two games of the year puts any team in a big hole.
It's different for a team like Arizona or Houston. No one expected to do well this season. But five teams with big hopes entering the year have now begun 0-2. How high should the panic meter be set for them?
Minnesota Vikings Panic Meter: 5/10
The Vikings were the first team in the 0-2 club this season after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. A late comeback by Kirk Cousins fell short as the Vikings lost their second straight one-score game, which is not a good omen for a team that was extremely efficient in one-score games a year ago.
The fan base has already started murmuring about tanking for Caleb Williams, and it's hard to blame them given Minnesota's defensive struggles dating back to last season. The schedule in the coming weeks is also rough as the desperate Chargers await next week while dates with Kansas City and San Francisco are on tap by Week 7.
While the schedule is a problem and there's a realistic chance Minnesota is 3-5 or worse by Halloween, the positive for them is that the NFC North won't get away from them. All four teams in the division lost in Week 2 so as long as Minnesota can get one win on the board in their next two games they'll have time to right the ship.
Cincinnati Bengals Panic Meter: 2/10
It certainly hasn't been pretty for the Bengals, who are now 0-2 in the AFC North and have seen Joe Burrow play poorly after signing his massive contract extension. Burrow tweaked his calf in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, which is concerning since the initial injury sidelined him for the entire preseason.
Having an extra day of rest ahead of a Monday night game in Week 3 will be helpful for Burrow, who looked to be showing some signs of shaking off rust before re-injuring the calf. The schedule in the immediate future for Cincinnati is also manageable as they host the Rams, travel to Tennessee and Arizona, and host Seattle.
Going 3-1 over that stretch would allow the Bengals to reach their Week 7 bye at 3-3 with plenty of time to make up for these early losses. Cincinnati also overcame an 0-2 start last season to win the AFC North so their track record should buy them a mulligan.
Los Angeles Chargers Panic Meter: 7/10
The worry about how last year's playoff collapse would impact this year's team has proven to be valid. Los Angeles squandered a Week 1 win by letting Tua Tagovailoa drive right down the field for a game-winning touchdown in the final minutes while Week 2's overtime loss in Tennessee was a bad effort against a team that the Chargers are more talented than in every phase of the game.
The Chargers have played very well in some aspects, scoring over 50 points combined in their first two games and not turning the ball over, but have an 0-2 record to show for it. While some may point to those facts as a sign of bad luck, Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt thanks to a track record of questionable game management.
An early bye can be an asset for the Chargers, but three of their next four games come against a desperate Vikings team (on the road no less), Dallas and Kansas City. Starting 1-5 is very much in play, which could be a death sentence in the loaded AFC.
Chicago Bears Panic Meter: 9/10
There was a lot of enthusiasm that the Bears would become legitimate contenders in the NFC North this season. The departure of perennial nemesis Aaron Rodgers, combined with some more help from Justin Fields, led some prognosticators to deem the Bears as a worst-to-first possibility.
That narrative has crashed and burned quickly after a Week 1 demolition at the hands of Jordan Love and the Packers, who lost in Atlanta this week, and a defeat against the Baker Mayfield-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The biggest problem is that Fields hasn't taken a leap forward as a passer yet, going just 16-of-29 for 211 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against Tampa Bay.
Both of these games were considered winnable for the Bears when the schedule came out. The fact that Chicago has lost both and given up 65 points in two games should sound the alarm that this year could go quite poorly.
Denver Broncos Panic Meter: 9/10
A new head coach with a proven resume as a winner was supposed to help the Broncos compete for a playoff spot with Russell Wilson. Two games in and Sean Payton has led Denver to two excruciating losses, thanks in large part to more inconsistent play from Wilson.
Sunday's defeat against the Commanders was the ultimate tease for Broncos fans, who saw their team choke away a 21-3 lead only to have their hopes raised with a dramatic comeback headlined by a Hail Mary touchdown pass from Wilson on a tip drill only to lose by failing to convert a two-point conversion.
Losing to Las Vegas and Washington at home, two teams the Broncos need to beat if they want to contend in the AFC, is not good. With a trip to Miami next week and both Chiefs' games looming before their Week 8 bye, there's a good chance Denver is buried in the AFC sooner rather than later.
