The issue for South Florida is of course whether the Tennessee Titans, presently 9-0, might somehow manage to finish unbeaten or at least get close enough to cause out-of-town reporters to track down the 1972 Dolphins for reaction.

It is an annual rite of fall: Waiting for the last unbeaten to fall.

A year ago the story line was legit. The Patriots were mighty and awesome and rang up 16-0 and were poised to match Miami's age-old Perfect Season before the New York Giants granted Don Shula's wish in the Super Bowl.

This year, need we even pretend? C'mon!

ESPN.com asks in a poll this week if the Titans will finish the regular season unbeaten, and 81 percent say no. Heck, the no's even carry Tennessee!

Bodog.com, the betting people, puts the odds of the Titans finishing 16-0 at 5-1 against, with near-even odds (5-4) that Tennessee's first loss will come Sunday at Jacksonville.

That's not to mention the gulf from 16-0 to a post-playoff 19-0, a Giant leap as the '07 Patriots found out.

So Miami's legacy seems safe enough. The '72ers can rest.

Far more likely than Tennessee reaching 16-0 is the Detroit Lions, the last winless team, finishing 0-16 -- which would set an all-time NFL record for futility.

Bodog puts odds against that at only 2-1.

Detroit is now listed as at least a 5-1 underdog in each of its remaining games until its season finale, when it is presently ''only'' an 11-4 'dog to lose at home vs. New Orleans and clinch its historic embarrassment.

Speaking of the sad Lions . . .

• Sad Raiders fans: Who are the NFL's most annoying fans once you concede the trophy should be retired to Jets fans? Easy. Raiders fans.

There will be the usual black-and-silver crowd here for Sunday's Oakland-Dolphins game, breathing the dissipating fumes of their team's distant, receding success -- as if their dysfunctional franchise hasn't been 21-68 since the 2003 season under the wilting aegis of Al Davis.

Some of these fans might even brave to don their archaic Halloween-in-a-biker-bar costumes and makeup. They will be funny-looking and yet sad, like clowns.

• Experience not needed: A rookie quarterback and rookie head coach has led the Ravens (Joe Flacco, John Harbaugh) and Falcons (Matt Ryan, Mike Smith) to six wins each. Which only seems remarkable when you consider the season record for such a rookie combo is seven wins, by Kerry Collins and Dom Capers of the 1995 Panthers.

• Ill-fitting suit: A federal jury has ordered the NFLPA to pay $28 million to retired players stemming from a lawsuit by former Packer Herb Adderley claiming the union failed to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf for video games and the like.

Hmm. Adderley played mostly in the 1960s. Had video games even been invented? I want that same jury when I sue my parents for failing to buy me an iPod back in '72.

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