One week ago today the following headline appeared in the otherwise respectable Fort Worth Star-Telegram: ``Can Cowboys go undefeated in the regular season?''

Two days after that the Washington Redskins volunteered the answer: NO!

I saw that headline and thought, ''Seriously? Already it begins!?'' A record had been set for tweaking the ire of the 1972 Perfect Season Dolphins. It wasn't even October yet! Your Friend the Media normally waits until near mid-season, requiring that a team reach, say, 7-0, before commencing the rote, annual speculation about this finally being the year Miami's unique NFL distinction might be matched.

New England rolling to a 16-0 regular season last year (before losing the Super Bowl) evidently made some think the threat to 1972 had increased to a point it would now be an annual assault.

Hmm. Have you noticed the standings?

Team '72 hasn't seen its perfect season threatened less or had more cause to be stress-free in a long, long time. Heck, Nick Buoniconti and Dick Anderson might as well do the champagne toasting now and beat the rush.

The only unbeaten teams left are the 4-0 Bills, 4-0 Titans and 3-0 Giants.

Buffalo, last in the playoffs in 1999, has needed fourth-quarter comebacks in three of its wins, and its opponents were a combined 4-11. The Bills are slight underdogs Sunday at Arizona.

Tennessee, the only team to have played three home games, has beaten teams who are a combined 3-12, and has a losable game Sunday in Baltimore.

People outside of lunatic precincts of Nashville and Buffalo who think either team might finish 16-0 -- let alone manage the true perfecto, 19-0 -- could hold a meeting in a Volkswagen. And probably require only the back seat.

As for the defending champion Giants? Their last two opponents are a combined 0-8. Their remaining games include home dates with the Cowboys, Ravens, Eagles and Panthers, and road trips to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas.

Chill that Moet, Perfectos.

Clearing the desk of some other stuff as the King Sport season makes its turn from the first quarter to the second:

• The last, biggest NFL record Dan Marino still owns -- season passing yards, 5,084 -- is under early threat. Saint Drew Brees is on pace for 5,372 and Bronco Jay Cutler for 5,100. But relax, Dolfans and Danfans. Bodog tells us odds are 11-2 against Brees breaking the mark, and 12-1 against Cutler.

• Yeah, Raiders owner Al Davis shows signs of dementia, but his firing of coach Lane Kiffin was not completely without cause. Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had not spoken for three weeks. How do you run a team like that? By the way, Oakland ends the season at Tampa Bay, whose defensive chief, Monte Kiffin, is Lane's dad. Think the Bucs will be out to embarrass Davis? Delicioso!

• Aside to NFL: Those ''throwback'' jerseys. Can we throw them back, please?

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