Losers not always out

Despite upset losses last week, Oakland, St. Louis, Green Bay, New England and Miami can take heart from history.

Three of the past 10 Super Bowl champions lost their openers, and 11 of the 24 teams that made the playoffs in 2001 and 2002 opened with losses.

In fact, since the advent of free agency in 1993, there hasn’t been a season when less than three eventual playoff teams didn’t lose their openers. (See chart). Only in 1994 did a postseason participant not lose to an also-ran in Week1.

The Raiders and Packers have relatively easy games Sunday, but even if the Patriots (who visit the Eagles), the Dolphins (who visit the Jets) and the Rams (who play host to the 49ers) lose again, don’t count them out. The 2001 Patriots started 0-2 and 1-3 before winning 13 of their final 15 games, culminating in a Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the Rams.

Two more, two less — The NFL’s reported plan to lengthen the schedule to 18 games and cut back to two preseason games shouldn’t pose a problem even though the schedule is set through 2009.

Instead of, for example, a third-place team playing the third-place teams in the other divisions in its conference for its two extra games, it would play the third- and fourth-place teams for its four extra games. First-place winners would play their fellow division winners and the second-place teams from the other divisions in their conferences.

Cover your eyes — Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was probably having palpitations when the past two MVPs both went down Sunday.

St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner, the 2001 MVP, was dealt a concussion by the New York Giants’ ferocious pass rush. Although he apparently is OK, Warner has been benched for Sunday’s game with the 49ers.

Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon, the 2002 MVP, initially appeared to have suffered a serious knee injury when he was sandwiched by Tennessee ends Kevin Carter and Jevon Kearse. However, Gannon returned on the next series and showed no aftereffects from the wrenching tackle.

The Warner and Gannon situations happened even though the NFL has made hits to the head, helmet-to-helmet hits and body slams of quarterbacks verboten. Officials called 114 roughing the passer penalties in 2002 compared to 44 in 1993.

“Quarterbacks are the name of the game,” referee Ed Hochuli said. “We can’t afford to get quarterbacks hurt. You can say it’s unjust, that it’s a violent game, but those guys are so vulnerable. It never ceases to amaze me how hard they get hit and [still] get up.”

The Haslett rule? — The NFL might have had fiery New Orleans coach Jim Haslett in mind when it decided to crack down this season on “abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures” from coaches, players and executives on the sideline during games. Coaches who leave the sideline and come on the field to argue calls also will have their teams penalized 15 yards. Repeat offenses could result in an ejection.

“That’s not my rule,” Haslett said. “That’s mine, [former Jaguars coach] Tom Coughlin’s, [Buccaneers coach] Jon Gruden’s. It’s not just mine. I’ve got enough rules. It’s actually a good rule. That goes for head coaches, assistant coaches and players.”

The competition committee first voiced concern about sideline behavior in 2001. Officials said the situation was even worse last season, hence the new emphasis.

“We recognize that this is an emotional game, and we know that a lot of times all a coach needs is to vent, but we need to clean it up,” Hochuli said. “The National Football League is very big on image.”

So long ago — Remember back in 2001 when New England quarterback Tom Brady was everyone’s fresh-faced darling? Here’s what a disappointing 2002 season and the release of your team captain on the eve of the 2003 opener can do even to the All-American Boy.

Asked what the Patriots’ decision to waive four-time Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy told him about the NFL, Brady said, “It’s as cut-throat as cut-throat can be. There’s never job security, and it’s not based on your performance, either. You can play at a Pro Bowl level, show up every day on time, never complain and be a captain and a leader. It’s not about if it will happen, it’s when it will happen to each player. It just hardens you a little bit.”

Loved that Vet — Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden is one of the few people who lamented the Eagles’ move from grungy old Veterans Stadium to spanking new Lincoln Financial Field.

“I worked [in the bowels of the Vet] for three years,” said Gruden, Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator from 1995 to 1997. “I actually lived there. It’s an awesome stadium. I’ve been to an Army-Navy game there. It’s a national monument as far as I’m concerned.”

Gruden was 2-0 at the Vet as coach of the Raiders and Bucs and is 1-0 at the Linc after Monday’s 17-0 throttling of the Eagles.