Donovan McNabb Is Wrong, 0-2 Teams Have Plenty of Reason to Panic

The good folks in Minnesota can rest easy tonight.

Donovan McNabb says it's okay.

"When you're 0-2, there's no reason to panic," is what the old codger came up with for the Pioneer Press' TwinCities.com edition.

Sure Donovan, no reason whatsoever. You'll get paid next week even if the Vikes are 0-3 and that's a good possibility with those young whipper-snappers, the Detroit Lions coming to town.

Certainly, there's no reason to panic in Kansas City, those awful first two games were just an illusion.

Surely Miami's resting easy, the Dolphins are 0-2 because of bad practices.

Indianapolis is the Panic Capital of the NFL. The Colts are 0-2 and Peyton Manning's not coming back next week or the week after.

How about the Lams, er, the Rams of St. Louis? After that Monday night performance or lack thereof? No reason to panic.

Only the NFC West, worst division in the NFL, can have two winless teams. You can add the Seahogs, er, Seahawks, to the list of non-panicers.

And Carolina? Well, of all those 0-2 teams, the Panthers feel the best because they've discovered the Hope Diamond of NFL rookies, the guy named Cam Newton.

But for the rest, oh, there's plenty of reason to panic.

By now we all know the statistics that gets bantered around after Week 2:

In the past two seasons, teams that start 0-2 have a 12 percent chance of making it to the playoffs.

Yes, 12 percent.

Yes, there's going 0-2 and there's going 0-2. At this point in the season, you have to consider if it's an "ugly" 0-2 or an almost 1-1.

There's nothing pretty about a zero in front of the win-loss record. While Carolina may have hope in the form of Newton and the Rams perhaps have a future with Sam Bradford, teams like Minnesota and Seattle have the excuse that their franchise quarterback may still be in college.

Kansas City has to really be in a panic mode. They've got a franchise guy, Matt Cassel and they still look horrible, thus far.

Not looking good is one thing, looking horrible is another and Kansas City is up to its steak-joints in horrible from this Chiefs team.

But not to worry, good citizens of Minnesota, Miami, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Seattle, Carolina and  St. Louis.

There's no reason to panic.

Because Donovan McNabb said so.