John Lynch isn’t normally surly. But the Tampa Bay safety wasn’t very forthcoming when asked after a loss in Carolina last week if the Bucs may be a little less hungry this year because they won the Super Bowl last season.
“No,” was all he said, in much the same way that Warren Sapp deflected similar queries a few minutes later by repeating “next question,” “next question,” “next question.”
What else can a Buccaneer say?
Even they don’t know why their team is the No. 1 disappointment in the NFL this season.
Parity is one reason, of course. Since 1997, only six of the NFL’s 32 teams have failed to make the playoffs – even Arizona made it in 1998.
And of those who have missed, Houston is only in its second year. Two others, Kansas City and Carolina, are almost sure to make it this season. Cincinnati, at 4-5 is only a game behind Baltimore in the AFC North, and has a shot.
The Bucs have company.
Of the 12 teams that made the postseason last year, eight have losing records through nine games. Most of those entered this season assuming they were at least as good as last year and few have any real excuses. New England has more injuries than almost any team this season and is 7-2.
The most disappointing:
1. Tampa Bay (4-5). Post-championship lethargy is one reason, but age is another.
Sapp, who turns 31 next month, has been average on defense this season and perhaps better on offense. Lynch, 32, has been hurt. There are other key injuries (Brian Kelly, Joe Jurevicius, Roman Oben, Jason Whittle), but everyone but KC has injuries.
The defense is a major culprit, allowing Jake Delhomme – Jake Delhomme? – to move the Panthers downfield for the winning score in little over a minute. Simeon Rice is about the only player on the unit playing as well as last season, and usual standouts Sapp, Lynch and Ronde Barber have been very erratic.
2. Oakland (2-7). This one was predictable. The Raiders expended a lot of energy to get to the Super Bowl and entered the season with five starters 37 or older.
Coach Bill Callahan is also an issue. His players – Charles Woodson publicly and others privately – say making the Super Bowl in his first season may have gone to his head.
The best Raiders coaches – Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and John Fox, to name three – usually leave because Al Davis still wants his input. How much of last season’s success was due to the leadership of Rich Gannon, Rod Woodson, Jerry Rice, Bill Romanowski and Tim Brown?
Whatever, a good team doesn’t lose to Chicago and Detroit.
3. Pittsburgh (3-6). Yes, the Steelers still harbor thoughts of winning the AFC North, at 7-9 perhaps. But their offensive line is a mess and the running game is gone.
At 31, Jerome Bettis has hit the wall and Amos Zereoue proved he wasn’t a full-time starter. Where’s Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala when you need him? (In Jacksonville as Fred Taylor’s backup.)
4. New York Giants (4-5). Jim Fassel has become overcautious because his team blew a 38-14 third-quarter lead in the wild-card game in San Francisco last season. His reticence probably cost the Giants games to Dallas and Philadelphia. Last week’s loss to Atlanta was inexcusable.
Telling stat: the Giants are fourth worst in the NFL with a minus-seven turnover differential, Tiki Barber’s six fumbles are second to Green Bay’s Ahman Green. And there’s no real leader on offense – Kerry Collins has the arm but lacks the fire.
5. Miami (5-4). Junior Seau was supposed to be the final piece of a championship-caliber defense. But 34-year-old non-quarterbacks coming off injuries are rarely impact players.
Speaking of which, Brian Griese isn’t the answer, either. And Dave Wannstedt may not be the coach after this season.
6. San Francisco (4-5). The downfall may have started after last season when owner John York decided Steve Mariucci wasn’t good enough for a franchise that thinks it should be in the Super Bowl every season.
Dennis Erickson can coach – in college. But he’s not Mariucci, who at least tried to keep a lid on Terrell Owens and got the most possible out of Jeff Garcia. The most dismaying stat is an 0-4 road record.
7. Green Bay (4-5). The expectations for the Packers may have been inflated. The defense isn’t very good – blame the lack of a pass rush and secondary for Monday night’s loss to the Eagles. And aside from Donald Driver, Brett Favre doesn’t have much confidence in his receivers.
Others:
New York Jets (3-6) and Atlanta (2-7). Injuries to Chad Pennington and Michael Vick killed the season before it started.
Washington (4-5) never will be better than mediocre until owner Dan Snyder butts out.
Cleveland (3-6) was a playoff mirage.
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DIRTY DOZEN: The top six and bottom six teams based on current level of play:
1. Tennessee (7-2). Thirty points or more in six straight games.
2. Kansas City (9-0). The Chiefs need a loss – to the Bengals on Sunday.
3. New England (7-2). Starting to get healthier.
4. Indianapolis (7-2). Losses like the one in Jacksonville will happen.
5. Dallas (7-2). Bill Parcells learned from his friend, Al Davis: “Just Win, Baby.”
6. Philadelphia (6-3). Not pretty, just effective.
27. Jacksonville (2-7). Despite last week’s win.
28. San Diego (2-7). Ditto.
29. Chicago (3-6). The soft part of the schedule is over.
30. Atlanta (2-7). Let’s not get carried away.
31. Arizona (3-6). Oh, those road games.
32. Oakland (2-7). From top to bottom in less than a year
AP-ES-11-13-03 1535EST
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