Don Pierson

It’s bad news already for four NFL playoff teams in danger of starting 0-2.

If the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers stumble this week — all on the road — they will have dug themselves into deep holes.

Only one team in the past three seasons has rebounded from 0-2 to make the playoffs. That was the 2003 Philadelphia Eagles.

The Denver Broncos, another 0-1 playoff team, also face trouble, but at least the Broncos are at home against another 0-1 rival with high hopes, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 0-1 Dallas Cowboys and 0-1 Miami Dolphins, like last year’s Chiefs, had winning records but failed to make the playoffs. They are at home this week. The Cowboys host the Redskins and the Dolphins host the Buffalo Bills.

Of course, every team that starts out 0-2 will point to the 2001 New England Patriots, who bounced back with their first Super Bowl title. But for most teams, 0-2 means wait until next year.

By losing home openers, the Giants, Redskins, Panthers and Bucs put themselves into particularly tight positions on the road this week.

The Giants go to Philadelphia, where the Eagles are coming off an easy win against the Houston Texans and are determined to rebound from their last-place finish in the NFC East. After four straight titles, they watched the Giants replace them at the top of a tough division. It won’t be for long if Donovan McNabb keeps finding new receiver Donte’ Stallworth as if he were the second coming of you know who.

As if opening against brother Peyton and the Indianapolis Colts weren’t harrowing enough for Eli Manning, he must take the Giants into Seattle next week after the trip to Philadelphia. An 0-3 start is in every Giants fan’s nightmare.

The Redskins beat out the Cowboys for a wild-card spot last year by beating them twice, including a 14-13 squeaker in Dallas in the second week of the season. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs has to be wondering how schedule-makers would think he wanted an encore.

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Under new offensive coordinator Al Saunders, the Redskins didn’t look quite like a polished offensive machine in their Monday night loss to Minnesota. With trips to Dallas, to the Giants, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay coming up before Thanksgiving, losing any home games is not a good idea.

In their 24-17 loss at Jacksonville, Dallas didn’t score as many points without former offensive coordinator Sean Payton as Payton’s new team, the New Orleans Saints, scored in their opening day victory.

Cowboys’ quarterback Drew Bledsoe will be on a short leash as coach Bill Parcells watches the development of young Tony Romo. Most Cowboys-Redskins games are good theater. This one is the earliest showdown yet.

The Panthers’ loss at home to Atlanta was a shock, even though the Panthers played without injured receiver Steve Smith. Picked by many to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Panthers must travel to Minnesota, where the Vikings are buoyed following their huge win in Washington in coach Brad Childress’ debut.

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The Panthers couldn’t get into the end zone without Smith, no stunning surprise, and if his sore hamstring muscles don’t come around soon, you can kiss the Panthers good-bye. Fortunes turn quickly in the NFL, where one loss is like a 10-game baseball slump.

The Bucs were shut out by the Baltimore Ravens and go to Atlanta, not the friendliest environment for young quarterback Chris Simms to find himself in a shootout against fellow left-hander Michael Vick.

The Bucs won the NFC South last year thanks to a fast 5-1 start. But guess who was quarterbacking then? Brian Griese, now in Chicago.

Simms threw three interceptions and was sacked three times against Baltimore and won’t get a break against the revamped defense of the Falcons. Led by newcomer John Abraham’s two sacks, the Falcons sacked Carolina’s Jake Delhomme four times and picked him off once.

Fortunately for Simms, Tampa Bay’s defense, No. 1 in the league last year, traditionally chases Vick pretty well and beat him twice last season.

There were 11 teams that lost openers at home. Only the Green Bay Packers get to try again at home this week. Every other first-week loser is one the road. If the Packers end up 0-2 against the Saints in not-so-friendly Lambeau Field, where the Pack is suddenly 7-10 over the last two-plus years, everybody will have to agree with Brett Favre, who said after their 26-0 loss to the Bears, “Maybe we just ain’t very good.”

The difference between 0-2 and 1-1 is enormous. Of the 24 playoff teams in the past two seasons, 13 started 1-1. None of them came back from 0-2.