There are four “defeated” teams in the NFL as of right now.
The St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Miami Dolphins share a record of 0-4 and the Indianapolis Colts (have upcoming Monday Night Game) are currently 0-3.
When a quarter of the season has passed and your club hasn’t won a game, it’s time to start thinking about changes. Depending on your perspective this year, if your a fan of one of these teams you wouldn’t mind your teams dropping a few games to sacrifice the 2011 season for the future in order to draft QB Andrew Luck from Stanford. However, if your team tanks with the ultimate goal of Andrew Luck and fails, then the season was wasted and a mess ensues. Let’s examine each of these teams and see who’s in trouble or in Luck?
The St. Louis Rams (0-4)
The Rams missed the playoffs last year by a single game and they do play in the NFC West. Additionally, they’re led by former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford — a Heisman winner at Oklahoma. Bradford is one of the rising stars in the NFL and will be a top-tier QB in the league once he gets a better surrounding cast. Considering their lackluster division, the Rams are still in contention to win their division.
Verdict: Not in trouble or in Luck.
Minnesota Vikings (0-4)
If the Vikings knew how to close, they wouldn’t be in this discussion at all. After blowing big leads week after week, the Vikings find themselves at 0-4 in a highly competitive division. Seeing that McNabb might be at the end of his storied career, it may be time to see what they have in 1st rd pick Christian Ponder. While it’s still possible that Ponder could pull a ” Jimmy Clausen” and lose his QB of the future spot in Minnesota, it’s unlikely that a talented team like the Vikings will tank that far.
Verdict: In trouble.
Indianapolis Colts (0-3)
Signing Dan Orlovsky over David Garrard only means one thing — Bill Polian wants the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft. If he does get the pick, it would be interesting to see what they would do at the QB position. Would they develop Luck behind Manning or go about ignoring the backup QB position like they have for years? I personally think they would dangle the first pick for a ransom — and some team will pay up. Without Manning, this team is clearly not a threat in the AFC South. The Luck Sweepstakes might be the only significant thing Indianapolis could win this season.
Verdict: Temporarily in trouble and possibly in Luck
Miami Dolphins (0-4)
The situation in Miami is very simple. The Dolphins aren’t very good at all. While the competition in the AFC East is rapidly getting better, the Dolphins are stuck at the bottom of their division. This team needs improvement in many areas and after failing to land Kyle Orton in the offseason, I’m sure fans in South Beach would be thrilled to land the first pick in the draft. Miami hasn’t had that QB since Marino retired a decade ago. With every loss, the Dolphins get closer to what could be a brighter future. In a division with the Patriots and Jets, the cellar-dwelling Dolphins may end the season as the biggest winner.
Verdict: Possibly Very Lucky.