Here's the question of the day: Which is more difficult to achieve -- winning 16 games or losing 16?
I ask because we have a chance to witness one or both this year. While we're loading the bandwagon for New England's run at a record of invincibility there is an equally compelling story out there.
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| Marc Bulger and the Rams: 0-7 and counting. (US Presswire) |
The Bucs didn't win a game that year. They lost 14.
"We should've won," said Richard Wood, a linebacker on that club, "and to me that was disheartening. We lost a close game to Miami, and we played a couple of others close. But that was tough. In fact, it was the toughest point of my career."
Of course, Tampa Bay had a ready-made excuse. It was an expansion franchise in its first season. Expectations were low, and the Bucs never exceeded them.
As Wood said, those Bucs had a couple of close calls, but generally, they were shredded by opponents. Pittsburgh beat them by 42. The Jets hammered them by 34. Four opponents put up 40 or more points, and five times the Bucs failed to score.
In short, they stunk.
That is why I bring up the Dolphins and Rams. I don't know which is worse, but I do know these are two of the most dreadful football teams I've seen since Dartmouth bowed to Columbia in 2004.
Miami just got pounded by New England, but that doesn't make the Dolphins unique. The Patriots make everyone their exercise bag, which is why they -- and not undefeated Indianapolis -- get the attention when talk turns to running the table.
But enough of New England. Have you taken a look at that Miami defense lately? Ouch. In five of the Dolphins' last six starts they hemorrhaged 30 or more points, including 41 to Cleveland and 49 to New England.
Trust me, that will keep a bad team bad.
Then there's St. Louis, and now we're talking rock bottom, folks. The Rams aren't weak; they're horrendous, and the envelope, please: In four road games this season they were outscored 114-19, producing one touchdown in 16 quarters.
