Three weeks into the NFL season, the 0-3 teams are already living in the danger zone. There’s no hiding it now.
Some clubs are getting dragged down by bad coaching, some by busted rosters, and some by quarterbacks who just aren’t holding up their end of the bargain. In a few cases, it’s all of the above.
Here’s a look at what’s gone wrong for each of the five winless teams and where the blame lands.
The Houston Texans have been hit from multiple angles, but injuries and the offensive line are doing the most damage. Nico Collins going down with a hamstring injury in practice has, well, hamstrung the Texans' offense over the last two weeks against the Bengals and Colts.
C.J. Stroud hasn’t looked nearly the same as he did in Week 1 against the Bills, and Houston’s reshuffled offensive line is still not getting the job done.
Stroud has been pressured on over 38% of his dropbacks, and the Texans have averaged a mere 1.4 yards before contact per rush, according to Tru Media. They’ve been even worse after contact, with the David Montgomery/Woody Marks duo ranking 22nd in avoided-tackle rate and 31st in yards after contact per attempt.
The schedule hasn’t helped - Buffalo, Cincinnati and then Indianapolis is a rough opening stretch - but that alone doesn’t explain 0-3. Houston also can’t lean too hard on the defense as an excuse. It was lit up by Josh Allen and Co. in Week 1, and if the Texans had closed that game out, they could be sitting at 1-2 instead.
The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, have looked like a mess from top to bottom. Coaching gets the biggest slice of the blame because the operation has been sloppy in every phase.
They lead the NFL with 10 false start penalties, and only six other teams have more than five. They’re second in the league with seven fumbles, even after recovering five of them, and one of those came when the center snapped the ball directly into the motion man.
This doesn’t look like a team that’s organized or sharp. The offense has only been credited with four drops, though Quentin Johnston feels like he may have that many by himself. The run game isn’t going anywhere, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel keeps calling runs anyway, the line looks off, and Justin Herbert hasn’t been able to rise above the problems around him.
The defense hasn’t been clean either. It has survived in part by forcing turnovers - 17.1% of opponent drives have ended with a giveaway, per Tru Media - but that number is inflated by Buffalo’s five turnovers on Sunday. The Chargers haven’t been getting enough stops, haven’t forced many three-and-outs, have allowed opponents an average of four red-zone trips per week, and even gave up a free first down with a holding penalty on second-and-26 against the Bills.
The Miami Dolphins’ issue is simpler and uglier: they just don’t have enough talent. That was pretty clear entering the season after they moved on from so many of their best players in the offseason. They’re in the rebuilding stage and are barely trying to win, whether they say that out loud or not.
Now the roster is even thinner on offense with De'Von Achane out for the year with a torn ACL. A 0-17 season is firmly on the table.
Tampa Bay’s problem has been a little more layered, but the offense is the main culprit. Baker Mayfield and Co. are 29th in Tru Media's version of success rate and dead last in EPA per play.
Mayfield is down to 6.4 yards per attempt with only two touchdown passes and two interceptions through three weeks, and he has already taken a league-high 13 sacks. The offensive line has been underwhelming, and Mayfield has also been bailing from clean pockets whenever his first read isn’t there.
That has left the Buccaneers looking disjointed and stilted. Bucky Irving has provided some explosive runs in the first two weeks, but even that came with a cost - he was part of the Bucs' FOUR Week 1 fumbles against the Bengals. The defense has been better than the offense, but not nearly enough better to make up for the disappointing return on Tampa Bay’s defensive investment.
Then there’s Tennessee, where the blame is split almost perfectly three ways. Coaching gets one-third, lack of talent gets one-third, and quarterback play gets the final third.
The Titans hiring Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll as head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively, probably should have raised a red flag. Three weeks in, it looks like one.
Their offseason spending spree also looks shaky because Tennessee added money without landing any true game-changing players. And Cam Ward has been brutal.
Like last year, he is not hitting the layups that form the foundation of solid quarterback play. Unlike last year, he is not making any spectacular plays to make up for it.
It’s really bad in Tennessee.
In Other News...
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If the losses keep piling up before the November 10 trade deadline, Tampa Bay could be forced to weigh a reset that would send veteran players into the market and bring draft capital back the other way. Names like Vita Vea and Chris Godwin Jr. have already surfaced in that kind of speculation, which says plenty about how quickly a slow start can change the conversation around a roster. For the Bucs, the next few weeks may determine whether this becomes a short-term slump or the start of a much tougher recalibration. [Read more 🡒]
Bruce Arians Sends Baker Mayfield A Blunt Warning Buccaneers Fans Will Feel
Baker Mayfields rough start has put the focus back on the way he plays the position, and Bruce Arians is not exactly soft-pedaling the message. The former Buccaneers coach said Mayfield needs to be willing to throw the ball away more often and play with a little more restraint, especially as he works his way back from a dislocated thumb.
Arians framed it as a matter of survival as much as style, pointing to Mayfields aggressive running habits and the toll that can take over a season. For Tampa Bay, the warning lands with extra weight because the quarterbacks ability to stay on the field and protect the football could shape everything that comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Gerald McCoy Just Hit A Nerve For Frustrated Bucs Fans
Gerald McCoy knows what the Buccaneers expect from a defense, and he did not hold back during a recent appearance on ESPNs This is Football. The former Tampa Bay defensive tackle pointed to what he sees as shaky coaching direction on that side of the ball, especially the decision to ask pass rushers to drop into coverage, while also raising questions about why pass rusher David Walker has not seen more of the field.
McCoys criticism landed because it came against the backdrop of another sluggish start, with the offense also drawing his concern as the Bucs slipped to 0-3. For a fan base already looking for answers, hearing a longtime franchise figure voice those same frustrations only sharpened the conversation around how much of this is about personnel and how much is about the way the team is being used. [Read more 🡒]