Putting the Skins Loss in Perspective

The importance of starting a season on a positive note is understood in all sports, but never more so than in football. One game in the NFL is comparable to about 5 in the NBA or NHL, and about 10 in the MLB. This is why no feeling comes even remotely close to the satisfaction of a victory in the NFL and, more relevant to the current situation in DC, losing makes basejumping without a parachute seem like a pretty fun idea.

But maybe we should all take a few steps back from the ledge we find ourselves on after Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Giants and examine how crucial these first games really are.

Below is a list of every Super Bowl Champion along with the result of their first game that year. Second game results are listed only for those who were lucky enough to have fared as the Skins did on Sunday - with a loss. (Click to enlarge)

What history tells us is that if the Redskins are winning the Super Bowl this year, which, let's be honest, nobody in their right mind aside from Mike Florio was even considering, they need to do what only 17.5% of Super Bowl Champions before them have done.

Furthermore, if they don't beat the Rams on Sunday, not only would fandom reach new levels of embarrassment, but to go from 0-2 to winning the Super Bowl they would have to do something only three teams have ever done.

The only positive to take from all this, really, is the recent trend: four of the last eight Super Bowl Champs lost their season opener, while two of the last eight started 0-2.

All hope is not lost. Yet.

And if we lose Sunday, all hope is not lost. Yet.

But it would sure be pretty damn depressing.

(Keep it together keep it together keep it together keep it together.)