Factoid
Are the Arizona Cardinals going to the playoffs? They’re 3-0, with wins against three pretty good teams – Seattle, New England and Philadelphia. They’re at home this week against Miami, which is a lesser team starting a rookie at quarterback.
If we fast-forward to Monday morning and call them a 4-0 team, what is then the probability they’ll wind up in the playoffs?
My gut tells me no. Arizona might have the worst offensive line in the league. The running game will struggle all year, and they’ve got a pair of lesser-type quarterbacks trying to survive behind that leaky line.
I will concede that the defense looks very good.
And getting through the first quarter of the season undefeated would be pretty impressive.
In the last 20 years, 56 teams have made it to 4-0. All but eight of those teams finished with winning records. Six went 8-8, and two, the 1995 Rams and 2008 Bills (which appear in bold below) finished at 7-9.
TEAMS STARTING SEASON 4-0
Win Loss Year
11 5 1992 Buffalo
11 5 1992 Miami
11 5 1992 Philadelphia
8 8 1993 New Orleans
8 8 1993 Philadelphia
11 5 1994 San Diego
12 4 1995 Dallas
9 7 1995 Miami
7 9 1995 St. Louis
9 7 1996 Indianapolis
9 7 1996 Kansas City
9 7 1996 Minnesota
12 4 1997 Denver
10 6 1997 New England
10 6 1997 Tampa Bay
15 1 1998 Minnesota
14 2 1998 Denver
11 5 1998 Green Bay
11 5 1998 Jacksonville
13 3 1999 St. Louis
8 8 1999 New England
11 5 2000 Minnesota
10 6 2000 St. Louis
9 7 2000 NY Jets
14 2 2001 St. Louis
11 5 2002 Oakland
8 8 2002 San Diego
13 3 2003 Kansas City
12 4 2003 Indianapolis
11 5 2003 Carolina
10 6 2003 Denver
9 7 2003 Minnesota
14 2 2004 New England
13 3 2004 Philadelphia
11 5 2004 Atlanta
10 6 2004 NY Jets
14 2 2005 Indianapolis
11 5 2005 Cincinnati
11 5 2005 Tampa Bay
13 3 2006 Baltimore
13 3 2006 Chicago
12 4 2006 Indianapolis
16 0 2007 New England
13 3 2007 Dallas
13 3 2007 Green Bay
13 3 2007 Indianapolis
13 3 2008 Tennessee
12 4 2008 NY Giants
7 9 2008 Buffalo
14 2 2009 Indianapolis
13 3 2009 New Orleans
12 4 2009 Minnesota
8 8 2009 Denver
8 8 2009 NY Giants
15 1 2011 Green Bay
10 6 2011 Detroit
—Ian Allan
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