Sunday links - Football and other stuff

Week 6 in the NFL brings some interesting match-ups:

- The Browns travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens in a game to avoid last place in the AFC North. Stopping the run should be a big challenge for the Browns defense. Jamal Lewis always saves his best for the Browns (averaging 147 rushing yards per game). My prediction? If Lewis runs for over 100 yards the Ravens will win. If he runs for less than 75 yards the Browns will win. In between it's a toss up. Big thing to watch? Penalties. The Ravens nearly set the single game penalty record last week and the Browns have had points taken off the boards in each of their losses. This is telling:

The Ravens come off a game in which they embarrassed themselves. Penalized 21 times, the Ravens blew their cool and acted like the Miami Hurricanes of old. The Ravens sounded that way this week as coach Brian Billick said he would not discipline or curb his players because it wasn't right for him to judge how they should act based on his upbringing. Billick talked about social, racial, economic and geographic differences in his players in saying he could not impose his style.

I've never heard of a coach saying he could not impose his style on his players lasting very long after that admission.

- The Bengals go on the road to Tennessee hoping to bounce back from their first loss of the season. Not sure what the spread is but take the Bengals and give the points.

- Ricky Williams returns to the playing field for the Dolphins. Both the Dolphins and their opponent today the Buccaneers are defending the run very well this limiting opposing backs to 2.8 yards per rush.

- Will the Vikings be able to ignore their off-field problems and concentrate on today's game with the Bears? They better or Mike Tice will be out as coach. Tice will not be the only one cut lose. I have a feeling the new owner is close to just cleaning house prior to the trade deadline getting what they can in trades and releasing some players who they can't move.

- The Giants and Cowboys are surprisingly playing for first play in today's game.

- The Monday night game has the Rams taking on the last undefeated team in Indianapolis. The Colts weakness in past years, defense, has been their strength so far this year. However, this will be the first team they face with a better than average offense.

Oh yeah, let's not forget that the last time Trent Dilfer saw the Ravens they were his teammates winning the Superbowl. Afterwards, "offensive genius" Brian Billick decided he needed a better quarterback. Dilfer waited by the phone for months until he got a backup job in Seattle. I hope he isn't too excited about a chance to show they made a bad decision.

The Big Ten got tighter yesterday. With Penn State's loss to Michigan yesterday there are now 5 teams with one loss in conference. Ohio State stayed alive in the conference by coming back to beat Michigan State 35 to 24.

In the baseball playoffs, the White Sox continue to ride strong starting pitching as Freddie Garcia pitched a complete game 6 hitter in last nights win. They lead the series 3 to 1 and can move on to the World Series by winning tomorrow. Meanwhile in the National League the Houston Astros jumped out to a 2 to 1 series lead by holding on for a 4 to 3 victory. Might just be me, but the Cardinals look beat.