Tampa Bay might have to win its remaining six games to get a chance to defend its NFL title. Minnesota’s 6-0 start is forgotten in a four-game losing streak, and the Giants are playing as if they left their skills in San Francisco in last season’s playoffs.

The way the alleged powers in the NFC are collapsing, the AFC champion will be a two-touchdown favorite in the Super Bowl. That’s unless the Eagles continue their recent strong play all the way to Houston, or Jake Delhomme continues his magic with the Panthers after orchestrating Elwayesque last-minute drives to win the last two games.

After 10 games, there are any number of underachievers in the NFL, especially in the NFC. St. Louis and Seattle are both 7-3, but the Rams are winning ugly and the Seahawks are 1-3 on the road, where they play four of their final six games.

Exhibits A, B and C have to be the Bucs, Vikings and Giants – especially the defending champions. Tampa Bay’s once dominant defense allowed Green Bay to drive 98 yards for the winning score Sunday, a week after being beaten in Carolina on a late drive engineered by Delhomme.

“In the past, when the game went on, we got stronger and stronger.” Simeon Rice said after Sunday’s loss. “This year, we get weaker and weaker.”

The same can be said for Minnesota. The Vikings started 6-0, then lost at home to the Giants and Packers. They were beaten a week ago by San Diego (now 2-8), then had six turnovers Sunday and lost 28-18 to Oakland, which broke a five-game losing streak.

What’s wrong?

Last week, coach Mike Tice guaranteed his team would beat the Raiders and make the playoffs. Unlike Chad Johnson, who helped the Bengals hand the Chiefs their first loss in Cincinnati on Sunday after predicting victory, Tice’s guarantee was worthless. And Randy Moss, the new team “leader,” is reverting to selfish Randy.

He was held to four catches for 25 yards by the blanket coverage of Charles Woodson, who only a couple of weeks ago was complaining about his coach, Bill Callahan. Moss then said it was the coaches’ fault for not getting him the ball.

So the Vikings now lead the Packers by just a game in the NFC North and nothing is, uh, guaranteed – not even a win this week at home over the Lions, whose road losing streak is at 21.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next six weeks,” Moss said. “We’re either going to win some games, go to the playoffs or pack it in and go home.”

The Giants started 4-4, but could have been 6-2 if not for special teams and coaching gaffes against the Cowboys and Eagles. But they were totally outplayed by awful Atlanta at home a week ago, then lost 28-10 Sunday in Philadelphia. They play in Tampa next Monday night in a game that was supposed to showcase two heavyweights, not bantamweights on the fringe of the playoff race.

Yes, the Giants were without Jeremy Shockey and Ike Hilliard on Sunday, but still got 361 yards of offense. That included five catches for 106 yards by rookie David Tyree, who was drafted in the sixth round strictly to play special teams.

But New York has spent the season piling up meaningless stats without scoring. The Giants entered the game ranked second in the league on offense, proving again how meaningless rankings are. Typically, they failed to score late in the first half after having a first down inches from the goal line.

“Don’t throw no dirt on us just yet,” said linebacker Brandon Short, one of the Giants’ few consistent defensive players. “We ain’t dead.”

And I know there are no quitters on this team. And if there are, they need to get out of here.”

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NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN CINCINNAT: Missed in Peter Warrick’s heroics in the Bengals’ upset of the Chiefs was Marvin Lewis’ demonstration of hands-on coaching.

With the Chiefs having a third-and-1 at the Bengals 21 on the first possession of the second half, Lewis walked 15 yards onto the field during an injury timeout and started chewing out linebacker Adrian Ross. Then he called over some other defensive players and started yelling at them.

When play resumed, the defense stuffed Priest Holmes, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a field goal.

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CHIEFS IN CHARGE?: Kansas City’s loss doesn’t ruin the Chiefs’ season. They still have the AFC’s best record at 9-1 and a schedule that includes just one game where they’re likely to be an underdog – at Denver on Dec. 7.

But even before the loss to the Bengals, team officials were privately worrying about the strength of the AFC.

One remembered 1997, when the Chiefs finished 13-3, got a first-round bye, but had to play their first playoff game against Denver, which at 12-4 had the conference’s second-best record. With Elvis Grbac, just back from injury, in place of Rich Gannon at quarterback for the Chiefs, they lost 14-10 to the Broncos, who went on to win the Super Bowl.

If Kansas City gets home-field advantage this season, it could meet Tennessee or Indianapolis in the first postseason game. Those two are tied for the AFC South lead at 8-2 and the loser is likely to be the first wild-card team.

That means the Colts or Titans probably would visit the winner in the North, where the Bengals and Ravens are tied for first at 5-5. Either Indianapolis or Tennessee would be a formidable second-round foe for the Chiefs.

AP-ES-11-17-03 1716EST