A punch line again

Football Digest, Spring, 2004 by William Wagner

HOW CRUEL THE NFL CAN BE. Last year at this lime, we were celebrating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Super Bowl title with a headline that roared, "From Punch Line to Powerhouse."

Now? They're ancient history.

Tampa Bay's defense of its Super Bowl title was beset by problems from the get-go. The defense that had been so dominant in 2002 was hit by injuries and became vulnerable. The offense that seemed to be on the brink of big things following the Super Bowl victory took a step backward. And team unity gave way to internal strife, headlined by the deactivation of star wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson midway through the season.

In the end, the Buccaneers didn't even make it back to the playoffs. They finished with a 7-9 record that dropped them into third place in the NFC South. Talk about a swift fall from grace.

Things were worse for the team Tampa Bay beat in Super Bowl 38, the Oakland Raiders. In the blink of an eye, their high-powered offense turned to mush. Even more stunning, they rebelled against their coach, Bill Callahan, who had been the toast of the league just months earlier following his impressive rookie performance on the sideline. Oakland finished with a league-tying-worst 4-12 record, and Callahan promptly was fired. Talk about an even swifter fall from grace.

But that's how the NFL works these days: Today's heroes easily can become yesterday's news. While the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers dueled on football's grandest stage in Super Bowl 38, the Buccaneers and the Raiders were left to ponder what went wrong. They were relegated to the role of spectators.

Does a similar fate await the Patriots and the Panthers? Let's just say they should savor their moment in the sun, because there's no guarantee they'll experience another one like it.