Could there be a first 0-17 team in NFL history in the 2024 season?

It's surely possible for a team to go winless in any given NFL season. Could the 2024 season be the first time we see a team go 0-17? There are two teams that don't appear to be favored in a single game in the 2024 NFL Season, and they'd be the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers.

Well, some sportsbooks seem to think that the Patriots and Panthers may not win a game in 2024. That begs the question; could the NFL see it's first ever 0-17 team? And would the Patriots or Panthers be the two most likely teams to go winless?

Perhaps. To me, the Panthers are clearly the better team. New GM Dan Morgan was extremely active in the offseason, investing loads of money on both sides of the ball. He signed a pair of guards in Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. He also swung a trade for WR Diontae Johnson and really beefed up the defense, even with trading Brian Burns.

Furthermore, the team does have a top-3 defensive coordinator in Ejiro Evero. The defense alone is going to be able to help the Panthers win a few games, at the very least. As for the Patriots, well, it's hard to see this team being competitive at all. Sure, they might have the franchise QB in the building with Drake Maye, but beyond that, there isn't a lot to like.

The Pats do have some nice talent on defense, but that's really it with their roster. Drake Maye might need a full year to sit and polish up parts of his game, so it might be Jacoby Brissett for the majority of the 2024 NFL Season.

You also have to consider the coaching, Jerod Mayo is the new head coach, and I find it hard to buy into Mayo. The "Patriot Way" was pretty much all Tom Brady, and Mayo has both played for and coached the Patriots in the recent past, and has been with the team on staff during their losing stretch post-Brady.

Why didn't the Patriots bring in new blood? Why did they essentially hire a re-tread? For the Patriots, it's just a puzzling situation they find themselves in. And to me, it's a tale of two teams. The Panthers went 2-15 in 2023, but it's clear that the Panthers lack of success was because of their scheme.

And it's not like their defense was bad in 2023. New head coach Dave Canales has worked wonders the last two seasons with Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. He seems to be the type of coach that can get the offense trending in a good direction, and the Panthers roster does have some legitimate talent.

The Patriots are starting fresh at QB, but Drake Maye might not even start Week 1. New England is clearly in a full, complete rebuild, and this is year one of that. The Patriots are much more likely to not win a game in 2024 than the Carolina Panthers.