Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Wow - what an absolute treat we are in for this weekend with the 0 - 3 CAR Panthers hosting the also winless MIN Vikings and the directionless, disorganized Bears hosting the *merely awful* DEN Broncos.

(Can anybody remember a season when one N.F.L. Sunday featured two games between winless teams this far into the season?)

The very fact that "Da Bears" are home underdogs to a team that just lost by 50 points should tell you all you need to know about that particular franchise right now.

As for CAR vs. MIN, I'll be curious to see if *fate* continues to look for "re-payment" after helping hand the Vikings so many wins last season.

In 1998 Washington and Philadelphia met as two 0-5 teams.

Mark wrote: ↑Sat Sep 30, 2023 9:27 am In 1998 Washington and Philadelphia met as two 0-5 teams.

The record is 0-6, shared by Steelers/Eagles in 1968 and I believe Dodgers/Cardinals in 1943.

I haven't been able to find anything about two or more games between winless teams in one week this late in the season though.

Jay Z wrote: ↑Sat Sep 30, 2023 10:49 am

Mark wrote: ↑Sat Sep 30, 2023 9:27 am In 1998 Washington and Philadelphia met as two 0-5 teams.

The record is 0-6, shared by Steelers/Eagles in 1968 and I believe Dodgers/Cardinals in 1943.

The 0-6 meeting of the Steelers and Eagles was called the "O.J. Simpson Bowl" lol as the loser would presumably finish with the 1st draft choice which almost everyone figured to be O.J. I think I recall Steeler fans not even being happy that their team won in a "classic" 6-3. Booth Lusteg (One could write a whole book about his story!) kicks 2 FG to win it vs. Sam Baker's 1. Philly won 2 games late to move "behind" Buffalo in the O.J. Derby (which didn't thrill THEIR fans either) and neither of the "Steagle" teams brought O.J. to PA. Buffalo's epic bad season in 1968 (Except for possibly the greatest upset of all time, a victory by the team getting the 1st draft choice defeating the eventual Super Bowl champion, Buffalo 37 NY Jets 35.) "won" them the services of O.J.

Pittsburgh finished 2-11-1, Victories over Phila, Atl, & a tie with the St Louis Cardinals all in succession.
Philadelphia 2-12 a pair of late season wins over det and NO in weeks 12-13 (snatching defeat from the jaws of "victory" lol)
Buffalo 1-12-1. Week 4 win over NYJ and a week 6 tie with Miami followed by a "Clutch" 8 game losing streak to take the O.J. Derby Title lol

In answer to the original question, was there ever a week where there was more than one meeting of 0-3 teams, in 1996 there were THREE. Seattle/Tampa, Jets/Giants, and Arizona/New Orleans.

2020 featured a Thursday night matchup of Broncos/Jets and a Sunday matchup of Texans/Vikings.

2019 featured three different matchups of winless teams with at least 3 losses, but all on different weeks. In 1999 and 2017 it also happened twice, but on different weeks.

In addition to the two matchups of 0-6 teams I mentioned, the Eagles and Steelers played on Thanksgiving in 1939 where the teams had a combined record of 0 wins, 15 losses, and two ties. Probably lucky there were no TV broadcasts at the time! The two teams played, again, on that Sunday, three days later. The teams split the two games.

As far as the reverse, maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that the fourth week of 1996,there were also three matchups of 3-0 teams! Vikings-Packers, Broncos-Chiefs, and Colts-Dolphins. Other than that, Week 5 (Buffalo-Miami and Dallas-Philadelphia) of 1992 is the only other weekend that featured two matchups, though various years featured more than one on different weekends.

After 1929 there have been four times which undefeated teams with 6 or more victories apiece have met. 1948 AAFC, the 49ers against the Browns. 1973, the 6-0 Vikings met the 6-0 Rams. 2007, the 7-0 Colts met the 8-0 Patriots. And 2015, the 6-0 Packers and Broncos met.

0-6 Bucs met the 0-5 Seahawks in Week 6 of the 1976 season (still 14 game season so just before midway point)...but that wasn't entirely unexpected that this game would have both teams coming in winless

sheajets wrote: ↑Mon Oct 30, 2023 11:23 am 0-6 Bucs met the 0-5 Seahawks in Week 6 of the 1976 season (still 14 game season so just before midway point)...but that wasn't entirely unexpected that this game would have both teams coming in winless

The "Expansion Bowl." A while back I watched the show about the "0 - 26 Buccaneers" and in it someone (I think it may have been one of Coach McKay's sons) mentioned that the Seahawks had a little more veteran talent on their team than the Buccaneers did on theirs and that may be why the 'hawks pulled that one out (thanks to one of those veterans - ex-Colt 'Mad Dog' Mike Curtis - blocking a Bucs' FG attempt right at the end of the game).

The Seahawks also won the game between the two teams the next year in Seattle. Matter of fact I believe that the Seahawks didn't lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until the 1990s (when Warren Sapp was with the Bucs).

In 1962, the Rams and Vikings met with both teams at 0-6. Minnesota won easily 38 to 14. The following week the Vikings defeated the Eagles 31 to 21. Later on, the Vikings and Rams played to a tie at 20. For the season, Los Angeles was 1-12-1, Minnesota was 2-11-1, and the Eagles were 3-10-1.

LeonardRachiele wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:15 pm In 1962, the Rams and Vikings met with both teams at 0-6. Minnesota won easily 38 to 14. The following week the Vikings defeated the Eagles 31 to 21. Later on, the Vikings and Rams played to a tie at 20. For the season, Los Angeles was 1-12-1, Minnesota was 2-11-1, and the Eagles were 3-10-1.

Both teams were 0-5, not 0-6.