Then, there are the fans of the Jaguars, Browns, Saints and Bears. Statistically, there is about a 3 percent chance one of these teams will reach the postseason. Since 1980, only five teams who have started off by losing their first three games made the playoffs. Only one team since the merger -- the 1992 San Diego Chargers -- made the playoffs at 0-4.
So to make most of you feel better, the Around The NFL power alley of Kevin Patra, Marc Sessler and Conor Orr discussed which of the 0-3 teams they would rather be a fan of and why you will get by/survive.
Jacksonville Jaguars
While I grew up a Browns fan, and find conversations with fellow co-workers and Browns fans Nick Shook and Marc Sessler to be quite cathartic on Sunday afternoons, especially when discussing the increase in effort level and fire under new head coach Hue Jackson, I am going with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Some are considering the Jaguars a massive disappointment at 0-3 this season, but I am also looking at this through the lens of a perennially disgruntled fan. The Jaguars already have their quarterback in Blake Bortles, even if he is currently in a funk. Jalen Ramsey might be one of the most exciting young cornerbacks in football and he didn't back down against the intimidating Steve Smith Sr. in a loss last weekend. Pass rusher Dante Fowler also seems to be coming into his own, though he'll need game reps.
The Jaguars are now where Browns fans can hope to be in about a year or two. If nothing else, there is something to be said about rooting for a team which has a plan even if it is not yet moving forward. Jacksonville is still talented enough to climb out of last place in the division and surprise the Titans -- and potentially Colts. That is something to watch for.
-- Conor Orr
Cleveland Browns
Look, I get all the criticism. So much of it remains valid, and it isn't easy for Browns fans to watch Carson Wentz fry teams in three straight starts. Still, anyone watching the game tape over the past two weeks sees a Cleveland roster burning for a win while playing the Ravens and Dolphins right down to the wire. The Browns have been involved in a thousand hyper-dull games since 1999, but this team is far from dull. That's impossible when Hue Jackson responded to losing his top two quarterbacks by unleashing a wild, two-quarterback rotation of rookie Cody Kessler and Terrelle Pryor. It was something out of a Madden fever dream and memorable because Pryor ripped through the Dolphins for 200 total yards of offense on Sunday. They won't win many games this season, but adding Josh Gordon and a healthy Corey Coleman to the mix only ups the strange nature of this bizarro offense.
Beyond what's on the field today -- and being haunted weekly by Wentz being compared to every living Hall of Fame passer -- it will be fascinating to watch Cleveland's beyond-the-borderlands front office build a roster with the bounty of future draft picks they own. Winning team? Not yet? Interesting? You bet.
-- Marc Sessler
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees. Drew Brees. Drew Brees. Of all the winless teams only the Saints boast a lock Hall of Fame quarterback, which always makes them a candidate for a quick turnaround. Yes, the defense is comically terrible, but you can't deny Brees makes for an exciting watch. The Saints once again have firepower surrounding the quarterback. Michael Thomas is my favorite young receiver and will continue his ascent into the upper echelon of wideouts over the next several years. Brandin Cooks is good for a huge game every two-to-three weeks. Willie Snead is becoming one of the most underrated pass-catchers in the league. Heck, Brees might even force tight end Coby Fleener into a viable entity. The Saints will give up points, but Brees always fires back. You could do a lot worse than watching shootouts on a weekly basis. As long as Brees is under center, there is hope in New Orleans.
-- Kevin Patra
A note on the Bears: Why did no one select the Bears? This was a tough decision but it came down to several factors -- one being that Kevin White is arguably the most exciting player on the roster, but he's clearly not full speed just yet. Adding to the White factor, the Bears don't really have the optimal quarterbacking situation to get him the ball. Leonard Floyd adds an enticing element to their linebacking corps and he'll no doubt be a topic of conversation down the road once John Fox gets this defense up and running.
