Five NFL Teams Have Made the Postseason Since 2015-16 After 2-5 Start
A disappointing 2-5 start for the Las Vegas Raiders has many within Raider Nation already counting the club out, especially after a brutal 24-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.
But teams have turned their seasons around with this same start before, and in particular, five have done so in recent memory.
Here are the teams since the 2015-16 NFL season that have made the postseason after a 2-5 start:
2015 Houston Texans
Heading into Week 8 of the 2015-16 NFL season, the Houston Texans sat at 2-5, with three of their losses having been by just a touchdown.
Houston went on to rattle off four wins in a row, but the momentum came to a halt when the team fell in Weeks 13 and 14.
Yet again, the Texans were below .500, and the pressure was on with three weeks left in the regular season.
They executed, though, winning their final three games and clinching a playoff berth.
Houston would be bested by the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round.
2015 Kansas City Chiefs
That Chiefs team that eliminated Houston had started that same season with troubles of their own, also having started 2-5. In fact, they were 1-5 prior to their second win, having dropped five in a row after winning their season opener.
Kansas City's second win would fuel an incredible 11-game win streak, which was more than enough to clinch a postseason spot.
After routing the Texans, the Chiefs advanced to face the New England Patriots in the divisional round, where they lost by just a touchdown to the defending Super Bowl champions.
2018 Indianapolis Colts
Like the 2015 Kansas City team, this Colts team started off as 1-5 as well, but a 10-2 run to finish the season set them up for a wild-card meeting with the Texans.
Indianpolis took care of business against Houston but would then fall to the Chiefs, who went on to the AFC title game to come within just a touchdown from beating New England to stamp a trip to the Super Bowl.
2020 Washington Football Team
This team also started 1-5 and was even as low as 2-7 more than halfway through the season.
Washington would go 5-2 the rest of the way, though, earning a postseason berth with a losing record.
2021 Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were one of the biggest surprises of last season, having finished the regular season with a 7-4 burst after their 2-5 start.
They would be humbled by the then defending Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild card round.
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