So much for parity as 9 NFL teams have 2 wins through 9 weeks: Analysis

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Nine NFL teams have nearly chance nine weeks into season.

Patriots, Raiders, Jaguars, Browns, Giants, Saints and Panrs are 2-7. Dolphins and Titans are 2-6.

On opposite side, 11 teams have at least six wins.

So much for parity.

league’s goal has always been to have every team stay in contention for as long as possible. But 28.1% of teams — more than a quarter of league — will likely spend second half battling for draft positioning.

Maybe Miami still has a chance to st a turnaround because Tua Tagovailoa is back and playing well. Dolphins went 1-3 when Tagovailoa was out with a concussion, averaging just 10 points. y’ve lost both games since his return but scored 27 in each.

Oddsmakers are giving Miami respect. Dolphins are just 1-point underdogs on ro against Los Angeles Rams (4-4) on Monday night.

“I live in real hope, which is how are people’s games getting better? Are we getting better?” coach Mike McDaniel said Thursday. “Does that mean it’s up to standard or that losses are acceptable? Absolutely t but vital to football teams having success in any NFL season is that y master art of getting better in ise, and don’t confuse ise with just losing.

“ise is also very loud when you’re winning, and sometimes you can have that – you could be sitting at 6-2 and if ball isn’t getting better through all ise, I don’t have real hope. My hope is real is because football that I’m watching and detailing is improving, and I think team is focused on trying to have a game where y feel like ir brand of football was mastered. I think football team kws that when that occurs, things will take care of mselves in win column.”

Dolphins are one of two of two-win teams that me playoffs last season. Cleveland is or. Both finished 11-6 and lost in AFC wild-card round.

Jaguars, Saints and Giants h playoff aspirations coming in.

Jacksonville was 9-8 in each of previous two seasons, winning AFC South in 2022 and vancing to divisional round. But this year has been a disaster for coach Doug Pederson, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Jaguars. y’ve lost five games by five points or fewer.

“You got to build m back,” Pederson said. “You have to get m back rey to go for ar challenge. I need to show m and talk to m in a way that is accountability, ownership, do your job, do it better, do little things.

“I have to show that in a team setting, bring it to light and just show guys, ‘Listen, this is what’s holding us back right w, plays X, Y, and Z,’ whatever it is.”

Giants also me playoffs in 2022 when Brian Daboll was AP Coach of Year in his first season in New York. y went 6-11 last year when quarterback Daniel Jones missed 11 games because of injuries.

Jones is back but things haven’t gone any better for Giants.

“Well, se guys, everybody, coaches, players, again, you see that we all do this to try to win,” Daboll said. “We spend a lot of time here. We practice right way. We work hard. When you don’t get results, certainly it’s frustrating. You do everything you can do to get a win. Ultimately, that’s my job and my job is to support and le. Again, it should fall on me, t se guys. y’re working ir butts off.”

New Orleans finished 9-8 last season and got off to an impressive start this year, going 2-0 and scoring 91 points in process. thing has gone right for Saints since Week 3. losing cost coach Dennis Allen his job this week.

Carolina, New England and Tennessee were supposed to be rebuilding so it’s surprise each team has struggled.

At least Patriots have reason for optimism because rookie Drake Maye looks like he can be a franchise quarterback. Las Vegas, Cleveland, Tennessee and Carolina have question marks at that important position.

“I kw everyone’s excited about our quarterback, and he’s a good player for us,” coach Jerod Mayo said. “He will continue to develop going forward, but he understands re are a lot of things to work on for himself personally as well. You see some of or guys, and y’re at different points in ir rookie year. Your rookie year, matter what position you play, it’s always tough. Again, those guys, it’s about getting better every single day, and you’re going to deal with different situations every single day, wher you’re talking on field or off field.”