Ranking the NFL’s Winless Teams
#1 Colts
Injuries have followed Carson Wentz to Indianapolis which has resulted in a surprising 0-3 start to the season. Wentz has a mere three touchdowns on the season while completing only 60.4% of his passes. Went along with the rest of the offense has gotten off to a slow start. Running back Johnathan Taylor has yet to find the endzone and other than Zach Pascall, no wide receiver has caught a touchdown. To make matters worse, All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson is unlikely to play in week 4 after suffering a high-ankle sprain. The defense hasn’t played terrible, ranking 18th in yards allowed per game, but there is certainly room for improvement. After a tough first 3 weeks, the Colts schedule becomes more favorable in the middle of the season which is why they have the best chance to turn their season around.
#2 Lions
To say the Lions lost a heartbreaker week 3 against the Raven would be an understatement. The Lions defense showed major improvement from their first two games by keeping Lamar Jackson and the entire Baltimore Ravens running game in check. When it seemed as if the Lions had the game won, Justin Tucker kicked a record setting 66-yard field goal to win the game as time expired. The Lions have showed the ability to run the ball effectively which has led to successful play-action passes from Jared Goff. Due to the lack of receiver depth, the Lions have relied heavily on tight end T.J Hockenson and running backs D’Andrew Swift and Jamall Williams in the passing game. The three account for 58% of Goff’s competitions through the first three games. The Lions offense has looked decent this year and the defense appears to be improving week by week as well. The biggest concern for the Lions, however, is the lack of cornerback depth and whether the defense can play consistently.
#3 Giants
The Giants came close to winning their first game in weeks 2 & 3 but fell short by only 1 and 3 points respectively. Unlike previous years, however, it has not been due to the quarterback play. With a history of turning the ball over, Daniel Jones has been sufficient thus far having only one fumble on the season. Other than his lone fumble, Jones leads the team in all passing categories and rushing yards (161) and touchdowns (2). This comes as a surprise especially when Saquon Barkley has 16 more rushing attempts. Barkley’s productivity will be vital if the Giants want any chance in their division. The Giant’s defense has been effective in the run game, ranking 13th in rushing yards allowed, yet allow the second-best completion percentage from opposing quarterbacks at 75.4%. If the Giants can improve upon their pass defense, they may be able to make some noise in the NFC East this season.
#4 Jaguars
The Jaguars enter Thursday night against the Bengals losing 18 straight games, dating back to last season, including all three of their games this season by double digits. 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence enters Thursday’s game tied for the league lead in interceptions (7), after throwing multiple picks in every game thus far. The rookie is last in completion percentage (54.2%) and the second to last in QBR (23.1). The lack of success, however, can’t be put on the shoulders of just one player. The defense ranks in the bottom 5 for total yards and points allowed. With only 4 sacks on the season. Jacksonville has not been able to pressure the quarterback. Urban Meyer and the Jaguars front office have put even more pressure on their struggling defense by trading away cornerback C.J Henderson to the Panthers after selecting him 9th overall in the 2020 draft. Henderson moves onto Carolina after playing only 10 games for the Jags. The lack of depth on the defense has forced Jacksonville to abandon the running game early, resulting in a plethora of turnovers. If the Jaguars continue to turn the ball over at this rate, they may be picking first again in the 2022 draft.
#5 Jets
(Sigh…) The Jets have scored only 20 point this entire season which is last in the NFL. The next closest team is the Chicago Bears at 40 points. The Jests offense ranks in the bottom five in both passing and rushing yards per game. A large reason is due to the poor quarterback play from Zach Wilson who is tied with fellow 2021 top draft pick Trevor Lawrence for the most interceptions (7). A more concerning stat for Jets fans is the number of sacks (15) their rookie QB has endured through his first three games. The loss of left tackle Mekhi Becton has the offensive line struggling to find any chemistry. Aside from Corey Davis, the offense lacks playmaking ability at most positions putting more pressure on their inexperienced defense. The Jests are going to be playing from behind most games which doesn’t bode well for game scripts or Zach Wilson. Let’s hope the return of Mekhi Becton allows for better quarterback play, or the Jets may be the first team to finish 0-17.