Can the Bengals or Lions actually pull it off?

Last year we saw the New England Patriots go through an NFL season undefeated. This year, with no great teams, can someone pull off the reverse? Seeing a team go 0-16 should be considered nearly as impressive as what the Patriots did last season, especially when you consider the parity in the NFL. As bad as they were, the Dolphins couldn't even do it last year. It would take a concerted effort to go winless throughout an entire season, so I don't know if it can actually be done, but there are two remaining candidates this year: the 0-6 Lions and the 0-7 Bengals. Even though the Bengals are one game ahead of Detroit, I submit that the Lions have a better shot to finish the 2008 season winless, leaving Lions fans to long for the days of Matt Millen in the front office.

The Bengals could really go winless, especially considering injuries to the back seven on defense and Carson Palmer at QB. The Bengals have kept several games close this season, leading me to believe that they will screw up and get a victory at some point this year. They even took the Super Bowl Champion Giants to OT at the Meadowlands. That shows me that this team is not committed to losing and will likely blow the streak somewhere down the line. Plus, the schedule provides some upset opportunities: Houston, Baltimore, Cleveland, and (especially) Kansas City. Cincinnati has shown a tendency to lose focus in the past, and if they do so again, it could mean a win. I think the Bengals pull off at least two wins, especially if Carson Palmer returns anytime soon.

The Lions can make a legitimate case for a completely blemished record. The schedule does them no favors. The rest of the schedule is as follows: Washington (5-2), Chicago (4-3), Jacksonville (3-3), Carolina (5-2), Tampa Bay (5-2), Tennessee (6-0), Minnesota (3-4), Indianapolis (3-3), New Orleans (3-4), and Green Bay (4-3). Who is Detroit going to beat? Chicago or Minnesota would be my best guess, but I don't see that either. Detroit has lost to both of them already this year by a combined score of 46-17. The Lions basically tossed out their QB, Jon Kitna, and are now starting Dan Orlovsky. Dating back to last season, the Lions have lost 13 of their last 14. They have not scored in the first quarter yet this season. Not even a field goal. The Lions have only 3 rushing TDs so far this season. The average score of a Lions game this year: Opponent 31, Detroit 16. The average losing by more than two touchdowns a game.

The Lions can really pull this off, and I fully support them in this endeavor. They haven't made the playoff since the 1990s, so history shows that the Lions have the pedigree to pull this off. They rank 27th in total offense and dead last in total defense. At the end of the year, this might be the highlight of the season for Detroit -