Buckeyes late rally earns share of Big Ten title
Beating Michigan is always a treat unto itself, but by earning a share of the Big Ten title, the Buckeyes have probably played themselves into a BCS Bowl game thanks to losses by Alabama and Miami. One possible scenario that must have BCS execs drooling would match the Buckeyes with Notre Dame in a January 2 showdown at the Fiesta Bowl. Both teams have history in Tempe and Midwest bragging rights would be on the line.
Troy Smith’s game-winning drive harkened back to when Joe Germaine led the Buckeyes down the field for the winning score in the 1997 Rose Bowl. His passing looked smooth, his reads on the money. His ability to move the pocket and force coverage to adjust with his scrambling set up that drive. We could all play the ‘what if’ game had Smith not gotten himself into trouble - but the Buckeyes sure have been a different team since the meltdown in Happy Valley.
Bengals defense takes first half off
Mental breakdowns in the secondary cost the Bengals their biggest victory since 1988 – but as a unit, the entire defense needs to find a way to close the middle. Peyton Manning threw deep across the middle all afternoon, and when the Colts went to the ground, Edgerrin James found the center of the Bengals defense just as forgiving.
But all is not lost for Cincinnati. It can be easy to forget that this team really hasn’t been here before. The youthful Bengals could learn a thing or two from the Colts, like learning what it takes to play at a high level in the NFL. Cincinnati fought back nicely after falling behind 21-10. The Bengals can, and will, score. The main objective for the next six weeks of the season will be find a way to avoid the same fate that has befell the Kansas City Chiefs the past couple of seasons - defensive meltdowns that prevent the team from reaching its full potential.
Browns get stingy against the Fish
When Reuben Droughns broke free for 75 yards and a touchdown on the Browns first play from scrimmage on Sunday afternoon the usefulness and relevance of the Dolphins game plan sunk to the bottom of Lake Erie. While running Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams at the Browns defense proved to be effective, every time the Dolphins took to the air, the ball landed with disastrous results. The Browns shutout their first opponent since 2001, intercepting Sage Rosenfels twice and stymieing a two potential scoring drives late in the game.
The Browns win total (4) equals all of last season and marks certain improvement over last year’s team. The defense, while seemingly always overmatched, seems to come through when it counts (if you forget last week’s debacle in Pittsburgh). The offense will never be confused with those of the high-flying Browns of the mid-80s, but the emergence of Droughns and Braylon Edwards give coordinator Maurice Carthon something to work with.
Cavs road win pushes streak to seven
Don’t look now, but after a 1-2 start the Cleveland Cavaliers are racing out to the front of the pack in the Eastern Conference. And good thing, too. Because from the looks of it, the Central Division appears to be the toughest in the Association with four teams playing over .500 basketball.
In beating Philadelphia Saturday night, the Cavaliers served notice. They can play a tough team on back-to-back nights, on the road, and pull out a tough win. Granted, the defense could have been a bit stiffer and the Cavs essentially outscored the Sixers down the stretch, but a 3-2 road record with a 5-0 record at home is where this team needs to be early in the season.
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