Experts Are Now Playing Catch-Up

STARTING THE FOURTH QUARTER

Every team in the NFL has played at least 12 games--a complete schedule, by 1960 NFL standards, but still 15:00 to play, according to the 2000 scoreboard.

For the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals, they have been a Dirty Dozen. For the Oakland Raiders and the Minnesota Vikings, a Magnificent Seven Plus Five. For everybody else, from opening kickoff to the start of the fourth quarter, it has been an education. . . .

ST. LOUIS RAMS

What we thought we knew then: A track meet in shoulder pads, pro football’s prototype for the 21st century, proprietors of the slightly-ahead-of-its-time Millennium Ball.

What we know now: Forgot to download the latest version of “NFL Defense ‘00,” resulting in “Oh-oh, we better place a tech-support call to the 1970s. I think they used to call him Bud Carson.”

KURT WARNER

Then: Is it Warner or is it the system?

Now: It’s Warner.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Then: A fantasy league dream team brought to life. Daniel Snyder buys the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Now: NFC wild card: $100 million. Look on Snyder’s face: priceless.

DONOVAN McNABB

Then: A preseason scouting report: “Right now, the game’s a little too fast for him.”

Now: The game can barely keep up.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Then: The road to the Super Bowl runs through, and ends, in Tampa.

Now: Looking to upgrade offense, Buccaneers scour amazon.com for Los Alamitos High playbook.

CADE McNOWN

Then: He’s no Jim McMahon, but maybe with time. At least he’s no Ryan Leaf.

Now: Ryan Leaf, with fewer clubs in the golf bag.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Then: Dennis Green got rid of Jeff George, got rid of Randall Cunningham, must have lost his mind.

Now: George second to Brad Johnson in Washington, Cunningham second to Troy Aikman in Dallas, Vikings second to no one.

BOBBY ROSS

Then: Master craftsman, about due for another miracle ride to the Super Bowl.

Now: The get-off-the-stage-already warmup act for Gary Moeller.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Then: If only they still had Daryle Lamonica.

Now: Gannon no cannon, only 10-0 on fields without Broncos.

AL DAVIS

Then: The old man has lost it.

Now: The old man can pick a coach.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Then: Their year, if only they find a way to beat Tennessee.

Now: Beat Tennessee. And that and 5-7 will get you Tom Coughlin in your face all winter.

TRENT DILFER

Then: Couldn’t beat out Tony Banks, for Pete’s sake.

Now: In charge of a Super Bowl contender, for Pete’s sake.

AFC EAST

Then: Peyton’s Place.

Now: Fiedler on the Roof.

AARON BROOKS

Then: No one had a hint of a clue. The best guess: A proposed merger between the art supply-selling brothers and the men’s suit-selling brothers.

Now: “Equal parts Archie Manning, Jeff Blake, Bobby Hebert and Merlin the Magician”--New Orleans Saints’ bandwagon (off cinder blocks for the first time since ‘92).

DENNIS MILLER

Then: Has the country talking about “Monday Night Football” again.

Now: Shut up, Dan Fouts has something to say.

PRIMARY COLORS

What the best- and worst-dressed men in the NFL are wearing this autumn. . . .

Hot: Purple. Vikings can win the NFC title if they can keep the home-field advantage. Ravens can win the AFC title if Trent Dilfer doesn’t remember he’s Trent Dilfer. The color purple engulfs Tampa on Super Sunday, NFL Films titles its Super Bowl highlight film, “Purple Haze,” Prince sings the national anthem.

Warm: Green. Eagles lead the NFC East at 9-4, Jets are 8-4, Packers need to get with the program and accessorize Ahman Green with hands.

Tepid: Red. Cardinals, 49ers and Chiefs would all like to redshirt this season. Buccaneers too often red-faced in the red zone. Bills keeping heads just above red ink.

So 1980s: Orange. Bengals and Browns are a combined 5-20. No wonder Buccaneers switched to pewter.

WHEN MEN WERE MEN AND KICKERS WERE TOO

Kickers: Can’t live with them, can’t win the Super Bowl without one.

They have been the butt of NFL jokes ever since Alex Karras began chasing Garo Yepremian around the Detroit Lions’ practice field, derisively shouting, “I keek a touchdown! I keek a touchdown!”

It is the same mind set that got Tennessee Titan broadcaster Pat Ryan in trouble last weekend when he grumbled about games being decided by “two foreign guys, the kickers”--in this case Al Del Greco (born: Providence, R.I.) and Mike Hollis (born: Kellogg, Idaho).

But it wasn’t always that way, as this week’s passing of Lou “The Toe” Groza reminds. Groza made the Pro Bowl nine times as a tackle with the Cleveland Browns, moonlighting as a kicker who totaled 1,608 points in a 21-year career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, Groza and his straight-ahead kicking style remain the counterpoint to the soccer-styled “foreigners” that would follow.

Others cut from the same mud-stained cloth:

Jerry Kramer: Noted mainly for his Ice Bowl-winning block for Bart Starr and best-selling book, “Instant Replay,” Kramer doubled for three seasons as the Packers’ kicker, totaling 91 points and 16 field goals in 1963.

Paul Hornung: Best known as a running back with a nose for the end zone, he was the Packer kicker before Kramer, and his straight-ahead style helped him lead the league in scoring for three seasons.

Bob Waterfield: Besides passing for 11,849 yards, he also punted for a 42.4 average, kicked 60 field goals and intercepted 20 passes for the Rams from 1945-1952.

Gino Cappelletti: Forty-two times in 11 seasons with the Boston Patriots, the wide receiver-kicker scored a touchdown, then added the extra point.

George Blanda: Displaced last month by Gary Anderson as the league’s all-time leading scorer, was still coming off the bench and throwing rally-capping touchdown passes for the Raiders deep into his 40s.