Worst to Worst Again?
(December 3, 2007)

Remember all the talk about how head coach Jon Gruden's job was in jeopardy after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished 4-12 last year? The Bucs have won four in a row and now stand at 8-4 and have gone 4-0 within the division. With four games to go, they have a three game lead in the NFC South Division standings. For the NFC South, it is just business as usual.

Since the league realigned for the 2002 season, the South has gone worst to first every year. Without fail, the team that has finished last was division champions the following year. The 3-13 New Orleans Saints turned it around from 2005 to 2006 and looks like the 4-12 Bucs will do the same for 2007. Call it a fluke or competitive balance, every team has won a division crown over the six year NFC South history. The Bucs are poised to win their third title in that span.

The Bucs have games at Houston (5-7), against Atlanta (3-9), at San Francisco (3-9) and against Carolina (5-7) remaining. They could probably, however unlikely, lose all four and still win the division. That's life in the NFC South.

NFC South - Worst to Worst Every Year

Season	Champion	Last Place
2002	Tampa Bay (12-4)	Carolina (7-9)
2003	Carolina (11-5)	Atlanta (5-11)
2004	Atlanta (11-5)	Tampa Bay (5-11)
2005	Tampa Bay (11-5)	New Orleans (3-13)
2006	New Orleans (10-6)	Tampa Bay (4-12)
2007	?	?

NFC South Division Standings (Thru Week 13)

Team	Won	Lost	Tied	Pct	Division
Tampa Bay	8	4	0	.667	4-0
Carolina	5	7	0	.417	2-3
New Orleans	5	7	0	.417	2-3
Atlanta	3	9	0	.250	1-3