College Football: Week 11

The Big 10's dream came true last Saturday when Ohio State handily defeated Penn State, setting up an unofficial conference championship game for the league's Rose Bowl berth in the Horseshoe against Iowa this Saturday. The Hawkeyes had their eyes on much more, specifically the BCS title game, a week ago. But oh how things change in a hurry. Starting QB Ricky Stanzi hurt his ankle on Saturday, will miss the rest of the regular season, and Northwestern pulled off an upset, dropping Iowa from the rank of the unbeatens. Regardless of the turn of fortune in Iowa City over the past few days, this game will still decide the Big 10, and is my game of the week.

For the Hawkeyes to have any chance of winning this game, they are going to need true freshman James Vandenberg to play a heck of a lot better in relief of Stanzi than he did against the Wildcats. They are also going to need solid production out of the running game, something that has not happened since Adam Robinson went down for the season with an injury a couple weeks back. This will be a tall task against a strong defense in a hostile environment.

Ohio State clearly has their chests out after playing a complete game in Happy Valley, but they cannot get too confident against an Iowa team that may be down, but is not out. Terrelle Pryor, as usual, holds the key. If he doesn't turn it over, the Buckeyes should win. If he does, Iowa may go back home with an upset. This will be a defensive game, but I think based on what transpired this past weekend, I have to go with Ohio State 24-10. Momentum is on their side.

Oh by the way, this will be another important Big 10 game relegated to regional 3:30 coverage against an SEC game on CBS. I complained about the Ohio State-Penn State game being at 3:30 last week, and apparently there is a reason. The Big 10 does not allow night games in November. What the hell? Is this 1959? Are they afraid the town troublemakers are going to go around pillaging while everyone is in the stadium under the dark of night? No wonder a lot of people think this league is antiquated: slow white guys at skill positions, vanilla offenses, and no night games at the pinnacle of the season.

Elsewhere this week, I would keep my eyes on these other games:

-TCU at Utah: The Horned Frogs are currently in a position for their first BCS at-large bid, but they still face one major hurdle: a trip to Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City to face the only other undefeated team in MWC play. The Utes would also be in a position for the chance of a second consecutive BCS berth had they not lost at Oregon early in the year, but a win here would put them in the driver's seat to at least win the league crown. Boise State is probably about the biggest fan of Utah right now, considering how I don't believe the BCS is going to select two mid-majors, even if their rankings warrant doing so. I like TCU's defense, and I think they make a statement in a 21-17 win.

-West Virginia at Cinncinnati: These next four games are interesting contests that could turn into upsets for the remaining unbeatens. The Mountaineers are no pushover, and can score in a hurry with guys at the skill positions like Noel Devine and Jock Sanders. And the Bearcats are coming off what had to be a draining 47-45 win over UConn on a slightly short week. This game is on Friday the 13th, so anything can happen.

-Stanford at USC: With Oregon losing to the Cardinal last week, it has opened the door back up for these two teams in the Pac 10 race, although the Oregon-Arizona game next week will still likely be the one that determines who goes to the Rose Bowl and who does not. Stanford proved themselves as legit last week, but could still use a big road win. They are 1-3 away from home this season (6-3 overall), and that win came against a Washington State team that would probably lose to a few high school squads out there. And SC is obviously looking for revenge after the embarrassing loss to the Cardinal at home two years ago, when Stanford was one of FBS' worst teams, and the Trojans one of the best (USC did win in Stanford 45-23 in 2008).

-Florida at South Carolina: The Gators' offense has struggled this year without Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, especially in the red zone. Who is Superman now, Tebow? And the Gamecocks have a pretty good defense. If they can find a way to score some points against Florida's own tough D, this one could be an upset in the making.

-Alabama at Mississippi State: MSU is probably not going to go to a bowl in Dan Mullen's first
season, but they have been competitive. I see them giving Bama some trouble, much like they did against Florida. And the Tide may be still recovering from the big win over LSU, while looking ahead to the Iron Bowl in two weeks (they play Chattanooga next week, but I don't foresee any issues there).

-Georgia Tech at Duke: Tech clinches the ACC Coastal's berth in the conference title game with a victory, but this is not your older brother's creampuff Duke team. They are 5-4, 3-2 in ACC play, and have earned a game on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 for the first time I recall in the roughly 15 years I have followed the ACC. The bad news: thanks to scheduling two FCS opponents, they have to win seven to be bowl eligible, and Miami is also on the remaining schedule. Surely the world is going to end in 2012: Duke currently has a better record than Florida State.

THURSDAY 11/12:

Ball State at Northern Illinois, 6 (ESPNU)

#23 South Florida at Rutgers, 7:30 (ESPN)

FRIDAY 11/13:

West Virginia at #5 Cincinnati, 8 (ESPN2)

Temple at Akron, 8:30 (ESPNU)

SATURDAY 11/14:

Tennessee at Ole Miss, 12 (CBS)

Michigan State at Purdue, 12 (ESPN)

#7 Georgia Tech at Duke, 12 (ESPN2)

Florida State at Wake Forest, 12 (ESPNU)

Northwestern at Illinois, 12 (ESPN Classic)

#13 Houston at UCF, 12 (CBS College)

#2 Texas at Baylor, 12 (FSN)

Indiana at #19 Penn State, 12 (BTN)

Michigan at #21 Wisconsin, 12 (BTN)

South Dakota State at Minnesota, 12 (BTN)

Missouri at Kansas State, 12:30 (Versus)

#22 BYU at New Mexico, 2 (The Mtn)

#1 Florida at South Carolina, 3:30 (CBS)

#15 Iowa at #10 Ohio State, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN)

#12 Miami (FL) at North Carolina, 3:30 (ESPN/ABC)

Nebraska at Kansas, 3:30 (ABC)

#25 Stanford at #11 USC, 3:30 (FSN)

Idaho at #6 Boise State, 3:30 (ESPNU)

Delaware at Navy, 3:30 (CBS College)

UNLV at Air Force, 6 (The Mtn)

#3 Alabama at Mississippi State, 7 (ESPN)

Auburn at Georgia, 7 (ESPN2)

Texas A&M at Oklahoma, 7 (FSN)

#18 Arizona at California, 7 (Versus)

Louisiana Tech at #9 LSU, 7 (ESPNU)

#16 Utah at #4 TCU, 7:30 (CBS College)

Notre Dame at #8 Pittsburgh, 8 (ABC)

Texas Tech at #17 Oklahoma State, 8 (ABC)

Wyoming at San Diego State, 10 (The Mtn)

Arizona State at #14 Oregon, 10:15 (ESPN)

Rest of the top 25: #20 Virginia Tech at Maryland; #24 Clemson at NC State

God bless Sam Hornish's problems with keeping a stock car headed in the right direction

Just when we thought it was over, the championship race got interesting again after Sam Hornish took out Jimmie Johnson on the third lap at Texas yesterday. Mark Martin is now within a very workable 73 points, and Jeff Gordon is just 112 back. The only problem: they have to find a way to make up those points in two races on a team that rarely has two poor races in a row. Johnson is probably going to still win his fourth straight Sprint Cup, but at least I now have a reason to watch intently the next two Sundays. Just Sprint Cup racing on ABC was not enough to keep my attention (now if it was on FOX or TNT, I would watch regardless). Jimmie is now just one more run-in with a Hornish, Robby Gordon, or Michael Waltrip from being out of the points lead.

Normally, Sideways Sam would probably be viewed as a pariah for taking out the points leader, but I think in this case, a lot of fans are hailing him. Most people are tired of the 48 team stinking up the show. Hornish made a lot of progress in 2009, but still is prone to the quite frequent accident. The lap 3 incident did not do him in on Sunday, but one about 80 laps later put him in the garage for good. Roger Penske is probably not going to have much more patience for the accidents entering next season, especially considering the fact that teammate David Stremme was a 180 MPH bumper car in 2009, and his replacement, Brad "Special K" Keselowski (or Krashalotski) sometimes gets over his head and either wrecks others or himself. Poor Kurt Busch. They might just have to start calling his teammates the Bash Brothers in 2010.

NFL Preview: Week 9

Week 9 TV Coverage Maps


This has been a year of the haves and have nots in the NFL. There is certainly an abundance of really good teams, and an equal amount of teams that, frankly, suck. In turn, we've seen our fair share of blowouts in the first eight weeks of the season. Week 7, which I thankfully missed most of, had 9 of 13 games finish where the margin of victory was more than 10 points. Some of the barnburners included the Colts ripping the Rams 42-6 and Packers beating the Browns 31-3.

Thankfully for fans who may be disappointed by the competition thus far in 2009, Week 9 sets up quite nicely with an extensive list of games that should be close. It also helps that the Raiders, Browns, and Rams are all bye this week, joining the more competitive Bills, Jets, and Vikings on the sidelines. Even the winless Buccaneers, who are embracing their terrible start to the season by breaking out the creamsicle orange jerseys that they stunk with for much of their first two decades in the league, stand somewhat of a chance this week at home against the Packers. Six of the 13 games pit two teams with winning records, while three games feature two teams below .500 (Kansas City-Jacksonville, Tennessee-San Francisco, and Detroit-Seattle). I had trouble picking just one game of the week, so I'll give a quick thought on each of the six games featuring two teams above .500.

Cardinals-Bears: Arizona didn't exactly play their best game against Carolina a week ago, but thankfully for the Cardinals, you get a bunch of second chances during the journey we call a season in the pitiful NFC West. Chicago has been underwhelming this season, and could use a win heading into a short week that takes them out to San Francisco on Thursday night for a Mike Singletary reunion. Games with Philadelphia and Minnesota follow.

Ravens-Bengals: I'm sure the Ravens still have a bitter taste in their mouth from the last-minute loss at the hands of the Bengals a few weeks back. But they are riding high off a rousing 30-7 win over the previously undefeated Broncos. At 4-3 and a game behind Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, they sure could use a road win on Sunday. As for Cincinnati, the next two weeks, with a visit from Baltimore and a trip to Pittsburgh, will play a huge role in determining the fate of their season.

Texans-Colts: Houston was a chic pick to be the surprise of the league in 2009, and after a
slow start, they have rebounded to sit at 5-3. That certainly puts them in position to challenge for a playoff berth, but as far as catching the undefeated Colts in the AFC South? Good luck. The only impressive team they've beaten is Cincinnati, so this a huge test for a franchise still looking for their first ever winning season, let alone playoff berth. And they'll have to do it without TE Owen Daniels, who tore his ACL against Buffalo.

Chargers-Giants: New York's secondary has been gutted by three quality opponents in a row, and Phillip Rivers certainly can distribute the ball to his receivers. The last thing the Giants needed right now was facing a fourth straight strong offense in a row, so there will likely be little recovery this week for the maligned secondary. But San Diego is known for their inconsistency, struggling to close out the Raiders a week ago.

Cowboys-Eagles (SNF): Philly fans are probably going to still be mad at losing the World Series, so I am sure they will give their most hated rival all the heckling they can handle. Especially after last year's Week 17 44-6 debacle, which sent the Eagles to the playoffs and the Cowboys to the golf course. This is always a great rivalry, and that only intensifies when a lot is on the line. It may be only Week 9, but snatching first place in the NFC East could set the tone for the second half of the season for Dallas or Philadelphia. As for those critics of Tony Romo's big-game ability, I am not too worried on that front. He usually doesn't start stumbling in important scenarios until December.

Steelers-Broncos (MNF): Eight weeks ago, this did not look like one of the more attractive Monday night games of the season, but the frog has turned into a prince and what we have is a battle between two of the AFC's top teams. I believe Kyle Orton has been overacheiving, and is due to return to mediocrity at some point. No better candidate than against the Steelers' defense. Denver still has their doubters, so this is another chance to convert them to believers.

College Football Preview: Week 10

Well, it's November. Five weeks to decide who will play in the BCS Championship Game. And even though we still have seven undefeated teams in the mix, it appears as if the battle for the national championship will come down to Alabama/Florida and Texas. The Longhorns face a relatively easy November (but don't sleep on that A&M-Texas game), and I really don't see anyone from the North giving them much trouble in the Big 12 Championship. Well, except maybe Nebraska, if they could get some consistent play from the offense.



Florida has to navigate a trip to South Carolina and a rivalry game with Florida State, but they should enter the SEC Championship at 12-0 (they have already clinched the SEC East invite). All signs point to a collison course with a 12-0 Alabama team on December 5 in Atlanta, but the Tide still face LSU and Auburn, another one of those unpredictable rivalry games. Bama hosts Les Miles and company this Saturday afternoon in what is clearly the game of the week. A win officially sets up the potential for a huge showdown in the Georgia Dome, and I'm sure we will be hearing plenty about that game for the next month.


LSU's offense struggled to generate much of anything against Florida, and considering how Alabama has a stout defense as well, Jordan Jefferson and company better take every opportunity they get on Saturday and turn it into points. Thankfully for the Tigers, their defense kept them in that game, effectively shutting down Tim Tebow. Nick Saban has to be worried about his offense, which generated only four field goals against Tennessee. Was it fatigue showing up from playing eight straight weeks? Maybe. Coming off the bye week, the Tide need to establish Mark Ingram on the ground early and often, while mixing in the pass to keep LSU off guard. Greg McElroy has developed into a solid game manager, but he will need to make a play or two to lead the Crimson Tide to 9-0 on Saturday. I'll go with Alabama winning a low-scoring, defensive affair, 17-10.


The other big contest this weekend comes out of the Big 10, where Ohio State heads up to Happy Valley to face Penn State. I want to know something: why did ABC schedule this as a 3:30 game? Their Saturday night games are not anything special, hence the three-way split coverage, and Beaver Stadium is electric under the lights. Are they trying to make a dent in CBS' potential hold on the spot Saturday thanks to the LSU-Alabama contest? Anyways, after being kind enough to feature both Texas-OK State and USC-Oregon simultaneously last Saturday (even if one could have been shown at 3:30 to eliminate the crossover) it looks as if the network is giving us fans a big middle finger this weekend, being forced to choose from Ohio State-Penn State or LSU-Alabama.


If the Buckeyes win, it sets up another huge showdown next Saturday in Columbus, with the potentially unbeaten Iowa Hawkeyes coming to town. The winner of that one is pretty much assured of taking the Big 10 title and Rose Bowl berth. If Penn State wins Saturday, it all but eliminates Ohio State from the Rose Bowl picture and forces Iowa's hand next weekend. They can afford a loss, having beaten Penn State, but should not automatically assume victories over Minnesota, or Northwestern for that matter. The darkhorse in the whole Big 10 picture is two-loss Wisconsin, who very well could win out and play a role in the race should Iowa stumble.


Like the LSU-Alabama game, this one will be about the defenses. Ohio State's offense is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you are going to get. Terrelle Pryor one week shows why he was the top recruit in 2008, and the next he struggles. Penn State has a solid offense led by dual threat QB Darryl Clark, but they could find it difficult to move the ball on the Buckeyes. This will be your classic Big 10 game in many respects, with the score in the teens or low 20s, the game taking three hours (compared to three and a half in many other leagues), and plenty of running the ball. But there's nothing classic about spread offensive looks in the Big 10, and both teams will display them at times on Saturday. I'll take Penn State 20-17.



This week's TV schedule:



THURSDAY 11/5:
#22 Virginia Tech at East Carolina, 7:30 (ESPN)

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7:30 (ESPNU)


FRIDAY 11/6:
#5 Boise State at Louisiana Tech, 8 (ESPN2)


SATURDAY 11/7:
Northwestern at #8 Iowa, 12 (ESPN)
Syracuse at #14 Pittsburgh, 12 (ESPNU)
UCF at #2 Texas, 12 (FSN)
Illinois at Minnesota, 12 (BTN)
Purdue at Michigan, 12 (BTN)
#24 Wisconsin at Indiana, 12 (BTN)
Western Michigan at Michigan State, 12 (BTN)
Kansas at Kansas State, 12:30 (Versus)
#25 BYU at Wyoming, 2 (The Mtn)
Navy at #19 Notre Dame, 2:30 (NBC)
#9 LSU at #3 Alabama, 3:30 (CBS)
#15 Ohio State at #11 Penn State, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN2)
Wake Forest at #10 Georgia Tech, 3:30 (ESPN2/ABC)
#18 Oklahoma State at Iowa State, 3:30 (ABC)
Duke at North Carolina, 3:30 (ESPNU)
#7 Oregon at Stanford, 3:30 (FSN)
Army at Air Force, 3:30 (CBS College)
#6 TCU at San Diego State, 4 (Versus)
New Mexico at #17 Utah, 6 (The Mtn)
Memphis at Tennessee, 7 (ESPNU)
Oregon State at #23 California, 7 (FSN)
Vanderbilt at #1 Florida, 7:15 (ESPN2)
#13 Houston at Tulsa, 7:30 (CBS College)
Florida State at Clemson, 7:45 (ESPN)
Connecticut at #4 Cincinnati, 8 (ABC)
#12 USC at Arizona State, 8 (ABC)
#20 Oklahoma at Nebraska, 8 (ABC)
Colorado State at UNLV, 10 (The Mtn)
Fresno State at Idaho, 10:30 (ESPNU)


Rest of the top 25: #16 Miami (FL) vs. Virginia; #21 Arizona vs. Washington State

An open letter to NASCAR

Dear Brian France, Mike Helton, and the rest of the idiots down in Daytona,

Congratulations on another farce at Talladega yesterday. Because that's what it was, a farce. Not a race, a farce. Now I will admit I am not a fan of bump-drafting in the corners due to the dangers associated with the Big One, but telling the drivers flat out that they would be penalized for doing so was out of line. These guys are some of the best in the world for a reason. They do not need the Kremlin policing them 24-7-365.

I'm glad to see your drivers stepping up and showing some spine yesterday. Hopefully, that doesn't mean you'll fine Ryan Newman for speaking his mind. I love how you guys said everyone was riding around for two-thirds of the race single-file because they were feeling out their cars and waiting to make a move until late in the event. When has that ever happened at Talladega before you morons? They were sending you a message!

Point the finger at the drivers all you want, but NASCAR, you created this monster. You were the ones who built a car with the front and rear bumpers at the same height, enhancing the bump drafting advantage. You were the ones who decided to put a wing on that car so whenever it turns around backwards at 200 MPH, it is going to roll like a top. You were the ones who mandated restrictor plates 21 years ago, and have yet to find a better alternative. What's it going to take? Someone else getting killed at Daytona or Talladega before things change? I hope not.

Now, I am not saying eliminate Daytona or Talladega from the schedule, although I am sure if they were SMI tracks they would have been gone or changed when Earnhardt died. But there has to be a way to break up the packs, especially at Talladega. Sure, the fans love the three-wide, ten rows deep racing, but it is pure hell for the drivers. And I don't think anyone enjoys seeing the roof being cut off of a driver's car to extradite him after he barrel rolled down the backstretch. And if they do, as Ryan Newman said, "Go home."

I say the drivers have no spine, but the real problem is you, NASCAR. Ratings are declining. Drivers and fans are frustrated. And you act like everything is a-okay. You know where this leads? Obscurity, just as this sport was a quarter century ago, and American open wheel racing is now. I am going to laugh when the television ratings drop below 2.5 for the final three races of the season thanks to yesterday's debacle and the fact the same driver is on the cusp of his fourth straight title. Oh, not to mention, you sold television rights to a network who has no clue how to televise a race.

I plead to you, NASCAR. Listen before it's too late. Change is needed, and quit pretending to listen to the fans through your Fan Council (which, by the way, I applied for and have never been invited to join. I could run circles around the current NASCAR brass running this sport!). If Mike Helton, Robin Pemberton, Brian France, who I liken to Dennit Junior in Talladega Nights, sitting up in the press box drinking appletinis with his hammered wife and sponsorship execs, and others don't have the cajones to make changes, this sport is doomed.

You can start by treating your drivers with respect, which yesterday's decision to police bump drafting showed none of. And maybe revamping the Chase so everyone isn't convinced to go running off towards football once the 48 team ascends to the throne in late October/early November. Or actually showing transparency and consistency once in a while. You make the federal government look good in those departments, which is a minor miracle in itself.

President Obama preached change last year in his campaign (which we have yet to see any of by the way, although I am sure you Richie Riches will be seeing a higher tax bill in due time), and while I couldn't disagree more with his political positions and actions as Commander in Chief, maybe you could use his determination as motivation.

Thanks,

A concerned, disillusioned, 16+ year NASCAR fan

I'm disappointed in A.J. Allmendinger

A week ago, we were joking about Michael Waltrip's accident where he was driving just below the legal limit. Given the scope of the incident, it appears as if alcohol may have played a role. This afternoon, news broke that A.J. Allmendinger was arrested and charged with DWI early this morning. The RPM driver blew a 0.08 on the Breathalyzer, and if you are at or above that BAC in North Carolina, it's time to take a little trip down to the police station.

We all make mistakes, and A.J. did the right thing by fessing up and apologizing for the incident (at least he didn't go hide behind the bed like Scott Wimmer). But being taken in for an alcohol-related incident is serious. Especially when: a. that person has a high profile, b. participates in a sport that receives a large quantity of advertising dollars from beer and hard liquor companies, and c. participates in a sport that involves driving a car at nearly 200 MPH. NASCAR was swift to put him on probation for the rest of the year. I'm not too keen of punishment from the sanctioning body for a first-time offender, but if the past has taught us anything, NASCAR probation is the equivalent of a slap on the wrist and "don't do it again."

I'm sure the most disappointed person of all is team owner Richard Petty. At the behest of his mother, Petty's cars never featured alcohol sponsorship until this year when GEM and PE merged, bringing Kasey Kahne and Budweiser into the King's fold. For someone with the stature and clout of Petty, this is embarrassing, but I agree with his decision not to reprimand the driver further than NASCAR's probation until December 31. A.J.'s (potential) sponsors are probably not happy either. Rumors have it Best Buy is moving from Elliott Sadler's car to Allmendinger's in 2010.

I've come to like A.J., and this incident will not change that. But he has to use his head better than this. Something so simple as having one too many drinks at dinner and driving home is going to cause him a lot of grief in the immediate near term. Assuming A.J. is an exemplary citizen in the coming months, which I expect, everyone will probably forget it even happened by Speedweeks 2010. Just thank God he was not involved in an accident, or this could have turned out a lot worse for a lot of people.

NFL Preview: Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre

Week 8 Coverage Maps

Byes: Bengals, Chiefs, Patriots, Steelers, Buccaneers, Redskins


Week 8 is chock full of big games, including divisional matchups of teams at or near the top in the NFC East, North, and South. Obviously, those three games are highlighted by Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field as a member of the opposition. More specifically, hated opposition. I'm expecting the crowd response to be mixed. There are some fans who abhor Favre for how he left the franchise two years ago, and now plays for a division rival. And then there are others who cannot forget the fact that #4 has been the franchise's greatest quarterback, entertaining them every fall Sunday for nearly two decades, in the process bringing back to life a franchise that had been ho-hum since the departure of Vince Lombardi. Their support is unwavering.




Let's take a closer look at this weekend's top contests:



-Vikings at Packers: Minnesota is faced with their second consecutive difficult road game. They played the Steelers tough, before being doomed by two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter off of Favre turnovers. This might be a tougher test, just considering the hype surrounding Favre's return to Green Bay. The Packers are 4-2, but haven't been seriously tested in three of those wins. After losing at the Metrodome four weeks ago, they need to come out and prove they can play at the level of the Vikings.


This one will come down to the Packers offense vs. Vikings defense. Green Bay's offense is putting up solid numbers (albeit against weak competition in recent weeks) in spite of a questionable offensive line. Against Minnesota's powerful front four, the line needs to protect Aaron Rodgers and open up some running lanes. Minnesota is the better team, but I am picking an upset. While many of the current Packers did not play with Brett Favre, I am sure they feel the weight of a franchise on their shoulders in this game. Green Bay 24 Minnesota 20.



-Falcons at Saints: MNF this week should be a dandy. There is plenty of offensive talent to go around for both teams, but the difference will likely be New Orleans' defense. Atlanta's D was shredded by Dallas a week ago, and has been inconsistent over the course of the first six games. The Saints, meanwhile, are 6-0 thanks in large part to their much-improved defensive unit (and even if they gave up 34 points last week, many of Miami's scores were the result of Saints' turnovers). I look for New Orleans to stay undefeated, and open up a three-game gap on the Falcons in the South.



-Giants at Eagles: It's not often an NFC East battle between a 5-2 team and a 4-2 one is shifted to 1:00 from the doubleheader slot, but that's what happens when the Phillies are playing in the World Series across the parking lot that night and a huge homecoming is planned for Green Bay. After losing to two good teams, the Giants need to come out here and reestablish themselves as the class of the NFC East. The secondary has been a problem, especially against their better competition, so watch the McNabb-Jackson combo for a big play or two. Philadelphia, meanwhile, rebounded from their loss in Oakland with an easy win on Monday night, but the offense never established a rhythm. I like the New York team in the first New York at Philly matchup of the day, whereas I need to see the pitching probables for Game 4 of the World Series before making a prediction for that one.




-Broncos at Ravens: Both teams should be rested coming off their bye week, but I think this is the contest where Denver's unexpected 6-0 start comes to an end. Baltimore is desperate after three heartbreaking losses in a row, and considering how Cincinnati has joined Pittsburgh at the top of the AFC North with a 5-2 record, the Ravens might have to win 11 or 12 games to qualify for the postseason in January. Plus, this is a 1:00 game in the east for a Denver team that will have made an almost-cross country journey. These west coast teams (grouping the Broncos as a west coast team here) do not perform so well when they have to go east for an early game.



-Rams at Lions: CRIPPLE FIGHT OF THE YEAR! This is undoubtedly the Rams' best chance at winning a game this year. If they lose on Sunday, the franchise has a strong chance of equaling Detroit's 0-16 campaign of last fall. It must feel good for the Lions: this is probably the first time they can say they are the better team entering a contest in quite a while.