Week 4 is here, and five teams are still looking for their first victory of 2026.
The Dolphins, Texans, Titans, Chargers, and Buccaneers are all 0-3. Only seven teams (most recently, the 2025 Texans) have made the playoffs after an 0-3 start.
None of the five teams play each other this weekend, which means all five could still be winless come Monday. Any that land at 0-4 will be facing a steep climb to the postseason.
Only one team in NFL history has qualified for the playoffs after starting 0-4. In 1992, the Chargers under first-year coach Bobby Ross turned it around and secured the AFC West crown. The Chargers won 11 of their 12 final games of the season.
The Chargers advanced through the wild-card round with a 17-0 win over the Chiefs, who had swept the Chargers during the regular season. The next week, the Dolphins eliminated the Chargers with a 31-0 blowout.
With 17 games and seven playoff spots per conference, it’s easier than ever for a team to turn it around after an 0-4 start. Still, many 0-4 teams start that way for a reason; they’re not very good. The 1992 Chargers were much better than their early-season record indicated, and they made it all the way to the final eight.