The Rich Top 5: The NFL’s Most Disappointing Teams Through 2 Weeks of Play

Two weeks into an NFL season, 0-2 is not what it used to be. There is more runway now. But The Rich Eisen Show deals in absolutes, and Rich has been doing this list for 10-plus years, so here it is: the five most disappointing teams through two weeks, plus one more.

Rich called it the slow fox music of the show. "You don't want to be one of these teams."

5. Washington Commanders

Rich was careful with his prepositions here. This is a team he is disappointed for as much as disappointed in. The schedule makers opened Washington at Philadelphia and at Dallas. Then came Jayden Daniels' left elbow, the "second ugly dislocation of that elbow in 365 days," on a play call Rich thinks Dan Quinn would take back. He is still mystified why Washington went for a touchdown when a "bunny field goal" was there and the Commanders were getting the ball to start the second half.

He toyed with putting the Giants in this spot, since Jackson Dart is out for the season and was having surgery as Rich delivered the list. But the Giants are 1-1. Washington is 0-2 with Marcus Mariota.

4. Houston Texans

The Texans are 0-2 after starting with two home games, losing to Buffalo and Cincinnati. Rich allowed that maybe Josh Allen does this to everybody, and maybe the Bengals defense, which turned the Bucs over four times in week one and held Houston to six points in week two, does too. But now the Texans visit Indianapolis in week three, a massive game for two 0-2 teams.

So why aren't the 0-2 Colts on the list? Rich wanted to give Indianapolis credit for nearly knocking off the Chiefs in Kansas City on Sunday night, the same Chiefs he thinks we can all agree are "back." He admitted that meant leaving an 0-2 team off while keeping a 1-1 team on.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Losing in Cincinnati to open is not an easy assignment, so Rich gave Tampa a break on week one. Losing at home to Cleveland, and the way it happened, is another matter. Baker Mayfield "has not looked like the same guy this year," and Kenny Gainwell hasn't done much at all after showing up in Pittsburgh last year. Defensively, Deshaun Watson came into their house and found a wide-open tight end to take the lead at the end of the game.

And yet, Rich said, the Bucs are "not even close to the most disappointing team in their division."

2. Atlanta Falcons

That would be Atlanta. Rich acknowledged the Falcons are down to their fourth quarterback in the eighth quarter of the season, and that they lost a top pass rusher for half the season over off-field issues. None of these seasons are over. But the plan was supposed to be Tua if not Penix. It was neither, because Tua's back gave way, and then it was Cooper Rush.

"They just wanted half the Cooper Rush from Dallas to show up and walk through the door and the Cooper Rush from Baltimore walked through the door," Rich said. Then came Jack Strand.

Michael Penix Jr. is apparently coming back, and he explained he made the call on Monday morning. "I felt very confident with this week. I felt very confident in my knee." Rich noted Monday morning is the perfect time to Monday morning quarterback what the Falcons just watched, and the crew had fun with the "woo, my knee feels great" of it all.

1. Los Angeles Chargers

"I think there's no argument here," Rich said. The Chargers lost at home to Arizona and at home to the Raiders. Justin Herbert is getting carved up, although Rich noted the All-22 mavens are pointing out how many of the problems against the Raiders were not his fault.

"Mike McDaniel is supposed to unlock this guy and instead he's just been locked down," Rich said. The interior offensive line has been terrible, and even Joe Alt had a bad day against Maxx Crosby, as many people do. Jim Harbaugh has never been 0-2 anywhere, college or pro. The Chargers also have six fumbles, and Omarion Hampton, whom Daniel Jeremiah said could lead the league in rushing, is "fumbling all over the place."

One more: Detroit Lions

Before the one more, Rich returned to the Giants. He is disappointed for Giants fans, and pointed out that operating on Dart quickly is the right move, citing Patrick Mahomes having surgery on his knee the night he blew it out.

His one more, though, went to a 1-1 team that "could easily be 0-2." We will find out if the Saints are for real after beating the Ravens and almost knocking off Detroit, Rich said, but he is concerned about miscommunication on the back end of a banged-up Lions defense, and an offensive line he is still waiting to see open more room for Jahmyr Gibbs. Goff and Amon-Ra looked good in Buffalo, but by then the game was largely out of the barn.

Rich picked Detroit to win the division before the season. There is still time. That is the whole point of a list like this. Nobody wants to stay on it.