What NFL Team Went 0-16?

The Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 when they lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on December 28, 2008.

The 2008 Detroit Lions

The 2008 Detroit Lions are the only NFL team to finish a season 0-16. It was a tough year for the team and their fans. Some say that the team was cursed. The Lions had a lot of injuries that season, and they just couldn’t seem to win a game.

The Team’s Record

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL), and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.

The 2008 Detroit Lions season was the franchise’s 79th season in the National Football League, their 75th as the Detroit Lions. The team failed to improve on their 7–9 record from 2007, instead finishing with an 0–16 record, becoming the first team to complete a winless 16-game schedule since the NFL expanded to a 16-game regular season schedule in 1978.

The Team’s Statistics

In the season, the Lions lost all 16 of their games, becoming the first NFL team to do so since the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost all 14 of their games in 1976. They also became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. The Lions clinched their spot in history when they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers 31-21 at Lambeau Field on December 28, 2008. It was the first time that an NFL team ended a season 0-16.

The 2017 Cleveland Browns

The Team’s Record

The Cleveland Browns went 0-16 in the 2017 season, becoming the second team in NFL history to do so. The Browns also became the first team to lose all 16 of their games by double digits. They finished the season with a point differential of -257, which was the second-worst in NFL history.

The Browns’ struggles were due in large part to their lack of talent on both sides of the ball. They had one of the worst offenses in the league, and their defense was among the worst in terms of points allowed. The Browns also had one of the worst head coaches in Hue Jackson, who was fired after going 1-15 in his first season with the team.

The Browns’ 0-16 season was a disaster for the franchise, but they were able to rebound somewhat the following year. They drafted quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he helped lead them to a 7-8-1 record. While that record is far from impressive, it’s an improvement from 0-16, and it gives Browns fans hope for the future.

The Team’s Statistics

The Cleveland Browns went 0-16 in the 2017 NFL season, becoming the second team in NFL history to do so. They joined the 2008 Detroit Lions, who also went 0-16.

The Browns finished the season with a league-worst record of 1-15, which was their fourth consecutive season with at least 10 losses. They failed to win a single game at home for the first time since going 0-8 at home in 1975.

Offensively, the Browns ranked last in the NFL in points scored (229), total yards (4,857), and passing yards (3,394). They were also last in rushing yards (1,463) and first downs (293). Defensively, they ranked 31st in points allowed (411), 32nd in total yards allowed (6,058), and 31st in passing yards allowed (4,253).

The Browns’ struggles continued into the 2018 season as they finished with a league-worst record of 2-14. However, they were able to avoid going 0-16 for the second consecutive year as they won their final game of the season against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Reasons for the Teams’ Success

The 2007 New England Patriots went undefeated in the regular season and went on to win the Super Bowl. The team had great coaching, a great quarterback, and a great defense.

The 2008 Detroit Lions

The 2008 Detroit Lions went 0-16, becoming the first team in NFL history to lose all 16 games in a season. The Lions were coming off a 7-9 season in 2007, and many pundits thought they could challenge for a playoff spot in 2008. But things quickly went south for the Lions, as they lost their first eight games by an average margin of 27 points.

The Lions were plagued by injuries, poor play, and bad luck throughout the season. Their offensive line was ravaged by injuries, forcing them to start 10 different players at various positions. The injury bug also struck the Lions’ defense, as star cornerback Fernando Bryant and defensive end Dewayne White both missed significant time. In addition to all of this, the Lions were also cursed with some bad luck. Late in a week 11 game against the Carolina Panthers, the Lions appeared to have scored a game-tying touchdown, but officials ruled that receiver Calvin Johnson did not complete the catch, meaning that the touchdown was nullified. This was just one of several close calls and heartbreaking losses that the Lions suffered during their 0-16 campaign.

Despite all of this, there were still some bright spots for the Lions during their forgettable season. Rookie running back Kevin Smith showed promise, rushing for 976 yards and eight touchdowns. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson also had a very successful rookie year, catching 48 passes for 756 yards and four touchdowns. And despite their record, the Lions remained competitive in most of their games; they lost eight games by seven points or less.

Looking back on it now, it’s hard to believe that any team could go 0-16. But that’s exactly what happened to the 2008 Detroit Lions.

The 2017 Cleveland Browns

The 2017 Cleveland Browns season was the franchise’s 69th season as a professional sports franchise, and its 65th as a member of the National Football League. The team improved upon their 1–15 record from 2016, but still finished last in the AFC North with a 0–16 record. This makes them the second NFL team to finish a season 0–16 after the Detroit Lions did so in 2008. They also became the first team in NFL history to lose all 16 games in a season twice (the other time being in 2016).