Yesterday I heard Gil Brandt on Sirius NFL radio make a statement that lit a candle of hope inside of me.  And I needed a little hope after that debacle that I watched Sunday night. 

Mr. Brandt, who I have the utmost respect for, and who is affectionately referred to as the “Godfather” on Sirius, said that since 2002 forty-eight teams that started the season with an 0-2 record, or a 1-1 record, still made the playoffs.  Gil added that 57% of the teams with a 1-1 record or less, made the playoffs since 2002.

Then the Godfather said to all the NFL fans listening, that if your favorite team stands at 1-1 or 0-2, you still have greater than 50% chance of making the playoffs.

Once I got home, I verified his statement by checking all the records since 2002, and he is right.

I took his thought a little further and also determined that, during that same time period, 12 of the 28 teams that made it to the Conference Championship Game, began their season with a 1-1 record or less.

And even more encouraging is the fact that in:

2002 – Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl (and started the season with a 1-1 record)

2003 – New England won the Super Bowl (and started the season with a 1-1 record)

2005 – Seattle lost the Super Bowl (and started the season with a 1-1 record)

2007 – New York Giants won the Super Bowl (and started the season with an 0-2 record)

Thank you, Mr. Brandt, I for one needed to hear that.