But Bucs coach Tony Dungy is here to tell you that is not the case this time around. The Bucs were eliminated from the playoffs Sunday, but they will not phone it in until the fat lineman rings.
Even with a going-nowhere record of 4-9, Dungy says he will not sacrifice possible victories by fiddling with the lineup.
"It's not our intention at all to say: "Hey, we're going to use these last three weeks to look at players,' " Dungy said. "We want to win these last three games and finish 7-9. Before (Sunday), we wanted to win the last four and finish 8-8. You really can't change what you're doing. We don't intend to change. We want to play the best football we can."
An admirable stance. And pretty practical too, considering the current Bucs roster.
It is not like Dungy has a bunch of youngsters sitting on the bench, awaiting a chance to prove themselves.
Most are already in the lineup.
Recent starters have included a rookie fullback. A rookie right tackle. A rookie guard. A rookie receiver. A rookie defensive end. A rookie defensive tackle. A rookie cornerback.
The Bucs are about as fresh-faced as they come. With an average age of 25.6 at midseason, the Bucs were the third-youngest team in the NFL.
If the lineup got any younger, the Bucs would be eligible for the Sugar Bowl.
"We don't look at these last three games as a launching point for '97 or '98," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "This is now. This is our job today. Who the hell knows if any of us will be here in two years. Three games aren't going to change what we've done this season. We wanted to get better, and that's what we've been working on every week.
"We don't have rookies anymore. When you get to this point of a season, you've been around enough that you're not a rookie."
Dungy already has had a long, hard look at most of his draft picks and has been pleased with what he's seen.
Second-round pick Mike Alstott leads the team in receptions, and third-round pick Donnie Abraham leads in interceptions. First-round picks Regan Upshaw and Marcus Jones have started on the defensive line. Fourth-round pick Jason Odom is starting at offensive tackle, and free-agent rookies Jorge Diaz and Karl Williams have had plenty of work at guard and receiver.
"We've got some young guys who have gotten a chance to play," Dungy said. "I think Jason and Jorge Diaz are really going to benefit in the long run from getting the opportunity.
"Our defensive line is getting better and better, especially the young guys. ... I think you can see the development Warren made between his first and second year. When you get that experience and get a chance to play, it's a big plus."
So the rookies may not be on trial in the last three weeks, but jobs could be at stake for some elder Bucs.
The finale against the Bears Dec. 22 may be the last Bucs appearance for several veterans.
Wide receiver Alvin Harper already appears to have one foot out the door. If the receiving corps undergoes a complete overhaul, Courtney Hawkins also could be playing elsewhere next season.
One cornerback, Charles Dimry, has lost a starting job. The other, Martin Mayhew, could move aside next year. Former first-round pick Eric Curry, a defensive end, has been virtually invisible for a month and could disappear altogether in 1997.
While center Tony Mayberry and left tackle Paul Gruber are fixtures, the rest of the offensive line could see changes. Guard Ian Beckles is in the final year of his contract. Right tackle Doug Riesenberg, out with a knee injury, could be replaced by Odom. Guard Jim Pyne could be pushed by Diaz or others.
Even tailback Errict Rhett is in a tenuous spot. He does not have a long-term deal, and the Bucs do not have a running game.
So the way Dungy sees it, the last three games are about the same as the previous four. Even if their official elimination from the playoffs came on the first day of December, the Bucs were pretty much out of contention by mid-October.
Since then, he has been trying to teach players how to win in his system. They have three more games to learn.
"We weren't thinking about the playoffs, really, after the Chicago loss," Dungy said. "But our goals are still the same. We want to finish up strong, win as many games as we can, play as good football as we can, and see if we can continue to improve as a team. That's going to be our focus these last three weeks."
