History says preseason winless Bengals, Eagles, Vikings, Panthers, Rams will not win Super Bowl 58
In the NFL’s modern era, only two teams have gone winless in the preseason and then won the Super Bowl: The 2021 Los Angeles Rams, who got to play Super Bowl 56 in their own stadium, and the 1982 Washington Redskins during the strike-shortened season. If that trend continues, rule out the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Rams as winners of Super Bowl 58 next February in Las Vegas as all of them finished the 2023 preseason without a win.
#RuleTheJungle didn’t have star QB Joe Burrow for any of the preseason due to a calf injury but are expected to have him ready for Week 1 in Cleveland. Philadelphia didn’t play its star QB Jalen Hurts at all this preseason even though he was healthy. #FlyEaglesFly is the defending NFC champion and a +650 second favorite to win the Super Bowl behind the team it lost to this past February in Kansas City.
The Eagles were a little lucky last regular season, going 6-1 in games decided by seven points or fewer. They also were lucky injury-wise as their 11 starters on offense missed just 10 starts all season. So maybe they are due for a step back.
With all due respect to the Vikings, Panthers and Rams, none of them were expected to win the Super Bowl this season regardless. Note that the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers also won the Super Bowl after not winning a single preseason game but there was no preseason that year due to COVID.
On the flip side, there have only been two teams in NFL history who went undefeated in the preseason and then won the Super Bowl: 2002 Patriots and 2013 Seahawks. The 2022 Chiefs were 2-1 in the exhibition slate. The only two clubs to ever finish 0-16 both were unbeaten in the preseason: 2017 Browns and 2008 Lions. Obviously, there are 17 games now.
The #Steelers, Jaguars and Commanders were the only unbeaten teams this preseason. Only Jacksonville was a 2022 playoff team. The #DUUUVAL, Texans, Browns and Lions are the only active franchises never to reach a Super Bowl.