Pressure on Chiefs: Why History Says Beating Philly Critical

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Next week’s showdown isn’t just an opportunity for the Chiefs to avenge their Super Bowl loss to the Eagles. It’s also as must-win as a game can get this early in an NFL season.

That’s because 0-2 records have led to missing the postseason at an 87.8-percent clip over the last 35 years (1990-2024). According to Elias Sports Bureau, since the NFL expanded the number of playoff teams in 1990, clubs that start seasons 0-2 have gone on to secure postseason berths only 12.2 percent of the time.

Chiefs are alone in last place in AFC West for 1st time since after Week 5 of 2021 season when standings looked like this:
Chargers 4-1#Raiders 3-2
Broncos 3-2
Chiefs 2-3 https://t.co/4PQ9sYku93
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) September 7, 2025

Since 2020, when the NFL increased its postseason field to 14 teams, 40 clubs have started their seasons 0-2. Only five of those 40 teams (12.5 percent) — Cincinnati in 2022, Houston in 2023 and Baltimore, Denver and the L.A. Rams in 2024 — made the postseason.

Only the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants have won the Super Bowl after beginning seasons without victories in their first two games.

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) runs against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) in the second half during a NFL game at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images | Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images

Chiefs bounced back from season-opening loss in 2023

Although Kansas City rebounded from a season-opening loss in 2023 to win the Super Bowl, the odds were steep for any 0-1 team before the Chiefs’ 27-21 season-opening loss to the Chargers on Friday in Brazil. According to Elias:

Since 1990: 136 of the 541 teams that started 0-1 made the playoffs (25.1 percent).

Since 1990: 35 of the 288 teams that started 0-2 made the playoffs (12.2 percent).

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 5, 2025; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) runs against Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) in the second half during a NFL game at Corinthians Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jean Carniel/Reuters via Imagn Images | Jean Carniel/Reuters via Imagn Images

“I expect more than that,” head coach Andy Reid said in Brazil after Friday’s loss. “I need to make sure we come out with better emotion. It’s a nice big stage for us against a good football team. They made a couple of plays early, got things going. And we weren’t able to do that. And I thought they did a better job in that area.

“Listen, I’m on the sidelines. I expect there to be emotional support there. I also expect the
players to fly around and do things that I’ve seen us do.”

What Reid’s seen the Chiefs do is start at least 1-1 in 10 consecutive seasons (2015-24). The last time they opened 0-2 was 2014, Reid’s second year as Kansas City head coach, when they dropped their season opener at home to the Titans, then lost in Denver to Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Streak without 0-2 start is fourth-longest in league

According to Elias, Kansas City’s 10 straight seasons without opening 0-2 (2015-24) is the NFL’s fourth-longest active streak. Tampa Bay entered the day at 10 before the Buccaneers escaped Atlanta with a 23-20 win on Sunday. Dallas hasn’t opened 0-2 since 2010. Green Bay owns the league’s longest stretch, last winless over its first two games in 2006.

In Denver’s 24-17 Week 2 win on Sept. 14, 2014 (11 years to the day of Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch), Manning was 21 of 26 for 242 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Patrick Mahomes that day was two weeks from taking his first college snap as a true freshman at Texas Tech.

Sep 14, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) prepares to pass in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Chiefs 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Chiefs, meanwhile, wound up 2-3 after Week 5 – two full games behind the first-place Chargers – before reeling off five consecutive wins to match Denver (7-3) atop the division. However, Kansas City then dropped three of its next four to fall out of the playoff race, missing the postseason by one game with a 9-7 mark.

For the first time in the realignment era, since the NFL expanded to 32 teams and shifted to eight four-team divisions, the Chiefs are the only AFC West team without a win after one week of play. Both the Broncos and Raiders secured wins, joining the Chargers at the top of the division, one full game ahead of Kansas City.

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