Bengals, Browns and 2 more teams that can kiss their playoff chances goodbye with a Week 5 loss

The 2024 NFL season has gotten off to quite an intriguing start. There are more teams in the middle of the pack than there typically are. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings are the only two undefeated teams left, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team left without a win.

But there are nine teams sitting at 1-3 on the season already. There are only a handful of teams in football history that began the season 1-4 and eventually make the playoffs. If these nine teams that sit at 1-3 happen to fall to 1-4, they would be fighting quite the uphill battle to make the playoffs at the end of the year.

If these four teams lose in Week 5 and fall to 1-4 on the year, they would basically be kissing any chance of making the playoffs goodbye.

4. The Cleveland Browns season will be over if Watson and company fall to 1-4

The Cleveland Browns came into the season with the thought that they could compete with the Baltimore Ravens at the top of the AFC North. Many were projecting them to flirt with the idea of double-digit wins and to make the playoffs with ease.

But their defense hasn't been as impressive as they were last season. The team is desperately missing Nick Chubb, who recently returned to practice. Deshaun Watson and company have struggled as a unit, with Watson looking like one of the worst signal callers in the entire league.

The Browns matchup with the surging Washington Commanders this week. Their defense will be tasked with containing and stopping the NFL Rookie of the Year favorite, Jayden Daniels. Washington will really test the Cleveland defense, forcing them to show what they're made of, especially against the run.

If the Browns lose this game and look bad doing so, their season is practically over. They have already dropped embarrassing losses to the Giants and Raiders while barely squeaking a win out against the Jaguars. Cleveland still has to play each divisional opponent twice while also matching up with the first-place Chiefs in December.

3. The Los Angeles Rams won't be able to recover from a 1-4 start

The Los Angeles Rams had the potential to have one of the better offenses in the league this year. They have a three-headed monster on offense consisting of Kyren Williams at running back and the duo of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp at wide receiver. They're led by the veteran, Matthew Stafford at quarterback as well.

Unfortunately, Nacua and Kupp are both injured, with Nacua specifically set to miss most of the regular season. Los Angeles has very limited weapons on offense, as Williams has done his part, but the pass-catching corps has lagged behind. This has led to the Rams' 1-3 start with losses to the Lions, Cardinals and Bears.

Los Angeles hosts the Jordan Love-led Green Bay Packers in Week 5. Green Bay sits as three-point favorites in the contest at the moment and the Rams just can't afford to fall to 1-4.

With Nacua and Kupp still inactive and a daunting schedule ahead, the Rams need to win this week or else their 1-4 start could quickly lead to a five or six-win regular season. Matthew Stafford isn't getting any younger and the Rams need to take their chances at winning while they still have a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback at the helm.

2. The Miami Dolphins won't be able to salvage their season, even with a QB chance, if they lose in Week 5

The Miami Dolphins season only goes as far as Tua Tagovailoa goes. Unfortunately for Miami, Tua was concussed and potentially knocked out for the year in Week 2. The Dolphins haven't looked competitive whatsoever since the injury.

There have been rumors that Miami could make a move for a quarterback to salvage their season, but they haven't done it so far. They push forward with Tyler Huntley at quarterback for now.

Miami matches up with the New England Patriots this week with both AFC East teams staring down the barrel of a 1-4 season with a loss.

The Patriots might be one of the only teams in the league that are in a worse situation than the Dolphins. If Miami loses to the Jacoby Brissett-led Patriots, their season will go completely down the drain. They won't be able to compete with the Bills or the Jets for the division title and with matchups against the 49ers, Bills, Jets, and Texans on the schedule, this team could be a five-win team this year without Tua.

There will be no point in the Dolphins trying to acquire Russell Wilson or any other quarterback if they lose again in Week 5.

1. Joe Burrow and the Bengals won't be able to recover from a 1-4 start to the season

The biggest surprise of all the 1-3 teams in the league are the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals defense is going to be the reason that they won't go as far as they probably should this year. Joe Burrow and company has looked great for the most part, with Chase and Higgins both looking good and healthy at this point. The run game has struggled with Joe Mixon leaving for the Texans, but it's the defense that is the big problem.

The only win that Burrow and company have pulled out was a ten point victory over the horrendous Carolina Panthers. Cincinnati still has to play the Ravens twice, the Steelers twice, and a few other teams over .500. Their schedule, for the most part, is pretty easy, but it's pretty difficult for any team to come back from a 1-4 start.

It would be pretty rough for Bengals fans to watch the season go down the drain with another loss this week. But they host the powerhouse Baltimore Ravens, so it very well could happen. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will look to bury the Bengals this week, giving Zac Taylor's team their fourth loss in the first five weeks of the season.