Programming Notes: Bengals Pep Rally takes over on ESPN1530 this afternoon. I take over afternoons on ESPN1530 on Monday.
Today, I'm headed to what they call the beltway for UC/Va Tech and a side trip to Camden Yards for a Cartoon Birds/Box tilt.
But first, I'm gonna blog.
Party Notes: We'll be at the Holy Grail at The Banks Sunday for the first ESPN1530 Bengals Watch Party of 2012. I will have giveaways thanks to Hometown Sports and Collectibles. They will have bucket beer specials, along with every other NFL game on the tube, and we can watch Cueto go for his 20th win as well. You should come. The Bengals kickoff at 4:15. I'll be there 'round 3:00. Save me a table. Here's a Holy Grail logo.
One more home game yesterday and a good one, even if it did put a nice little bow on NL Wild Card race. I can't imagine what that loss felt like for the Brewers, closing out a hellish week for Wisconsin sports fans.
The good: Mat Latos is heading into his final regular season start with some momentum, Todd Frazier's homer might get him going a little, which could be crucial if Ludwick's health is an issue in October, and Dioner Navarro is making a case for Devin Mesoraco's inclusion on the postseason roster. That's good news for Devin, I guess.
Navarro can switch hit and he gives the team good at-bats (gave 'em a great one yesterday). I don't like carrying guys who are, like Mesoraco right now, total offensive zeroes (thus why I made the case for Cairo yesterday), but the flexibility of being able to use Navarro's stick is something the Reds need to think about.
The bad: The offense is still in the dumper. With mostly A-teamers playing, the Reds had three hits heading into the ninth inning yesterday. As a team, they're hitting .228 this month. Cozart, Frazier, Valdez, Rolen, Stubbs, Phillips, and Heisey are each hitting .231 or lower since September 1st. And Ludwick's bat has been on the bench while his groin (hopefully) heals. They've scored two runs or fewer ten times since in September.
And the pitching they'll face beginning next weekend is about to get much tougher.
-You know who's offense is not in a funk?
The Cincinnati Bengals.
The last two explosive eras of Bengals football were the Boomer and Sam years of 1988-1990 and the Carson-Chad-TJ-Rudi-Alan Cuter years of 2004-2007. From '88 - '90, the Bengals never score 30 or more in three straight games. They actually only scored 30+ in consecutive games twice.
The '04-'07 teams scored 30+ in three straight games once (appropriately enough, one of those games was a loss), and that also marked the only time those teams scored more than 30 in back-to-back games.
So this year's offense has a chance to do something kinda rare, (Yes, I know seven points came on a punt return. Shut up.) against a middle of the pack Jacksonville defense that only has two sacks and that's been almost as bad as the Bengals against the run.
Bengals v. Jaguars
A buddy of mine and I were talking about this yesterday....this is laid out perfectly: Bengals win these next two, are flying high at 4-1, then play and lose the quintessential trap game at Cleveland, falling to a desperate (though somewhat impressive last night) Browns team the week before the Steelers come here.
First things first, winning at Jacksonville.
I don't think the Bengals can stop Maurice Jones-Drew. Teams have run all over the Bengals this season, carrying 5.8 yards a lug. But I think MJD has a big day instead of a monster one. Take away the run and make Blaine Gabbert, who hasn't been good this year, beat you, right? How rough is the Bengals secondary? So rough that Chris Crocker is back. There are certain developments that I never thought I'd see in 2012. Among them is the return of Crocker.
But I say the Bengals knock Gabbert around. And I say a pedestrian group of Jaguars skill players don't make many big plays against this defense (they allowed no play of over 30 yards against Washington), with last week's pass rush manifesting itself yet again.
Mike Zimmer will find a way this week. So will the offense. Green-Eillis bounces back, and Gresham and Hawkins each come up big again. they might be the most under-the-radar 3-1 team in the league, but they'll be 3-1 nonetheless.
And they'll do something Carson and the boys never did....three straight 30+ games in three straight wins.
Bengals 31 Jaguars 17
The real refs are back, meaning it's slightly less nonsensical to bet on football again.
The Browns keeping it close brings me to a robust 18-31 this season....The walls are closing in on Cam Newton. Remember the last time that happened? How'd he respond. He'll bounce back again this week, enough to keep Carolina (+7.5) close, even if they do lose to red-hot Atlanta....I don't think Bill Belichick should've been fined. New England (-3.5) rebounds at Buffalo...The Lions might implode if they lose this week. Gimpy Matthew Stafford or no, they won't. Detroit (-6.5) puts up a big number on Minnesota....The Chiefs were on the verge of 0-3 a week ago. They're on the verge of 2-2 if Jamaal Charles comes up big against the Chargers. He will. Kansas City (+0.5) by a field goal over San Diego....Among the many things obscured by Monday night's refererring was how good the Seahawks are defensively. They run it well, they play field position, and they're as good on D right now as anyone in the league. And they win Sunday. Seattle (-2.5) beats St. Louis....The 'Niners are better than anyone I can recall at flying from west to east and winning. No chance they lose two straight, especially with Revis Island being condemned. San Fran (-3.5) wins by double-digits at the Jets....The Titans were great offensively last week. They were still awful on defense. This is not a good matchup for them, to say the least. Houston (-12.5) rolls at home over Tennessee....Carson Palmer never beat Peyton Manning here, and even with the Broncos' defensive issues, he won't on Sunday. Denver wins a good one over Oakland (+6.5), but for our purposes, the Silver and Black cover....The Cardinals shouldn't wear the black jerseys anymore. Arizona (-6.5) makes it 4-0, hammering Miami....The Bounty vs. the Seattle Screwjob. I'll take Green Bay (-7.5) over New Orleans....The Redskins, for as much as we like RGIII, look on the verge of unraveling. Tampa Bay (-2.5) beats Washington at home....The Giants have Eli Manning. The Eagles have Mike Vick. You've seen these guys play this year, right? New York (+2.5) rolls over Philly....Jay Cutler might not make it through this one. Dallas rolls over Chicago. Here's a girl and her hula hoop....
The college football season is four weeks old and UC has played two games. Now they play ten games in ten weeks. I'm not sure I like either.
Cincinnati v. Virginia Tech
Today I'm going to get on a plane for a UC home game. The fan in me doesn't like it. A packed Nippert Stadium for a name opponent and a measure of revenge on the minds of fans and senior players alike would've made for a fun Saturday afternoon.
The person who gets how the business of UC football works understands it. This program needs money. Badly. It would've made little sense to turn down more than $3 million.
And then there's a part of me that's always liked the DC area, that's always wanted to see FedEx Field, and that's been looking for a way to visit Camden Yards for years. The broadcast "professional" in me likes this trip very much.
I'm not sure what to make of the actual game though.
What do we really know about the Bearcats. They certainly played well against Pitt, but the Panthers played as poorly as any Big East team I've seen. The UC offense was not very good against Delaware State and while the defense has been excellent, it hasn't exactly been tested.
I trust the Bearcat defensive line to disrupt the Hokies, and while I'm taking a major leap of faith in the Cincinnati offense, if Pitt can put up 537 yards and 35 points on Va. Tech, the Cats can put up 23 points and 380 yards on Va Tech.
I think that's all they'll need.
UC has beaten opponents from other BCS leagues in recent years: Illinois, Oregon State (x2), NC State, Vandy. But against "name" opponents, they haven't gotten it done. If we want columns like this one to go away, the Bearcats will have to start winning games like tomorrow's.
Nothing tomorrow will really surprise me. I wish my most recent impression of Bearcat football wasn't the six turnovers from two weeks ago, but I say the get it done in DC, or Landover. Bearcats 23 Hokies 20
Ohio State v. Michigan State
Earlier this week, Urban Meyer said something about Braxton Miller being more talented than Tim Tebow. The media tried to make a big deal out of it, tried to pass the quote off as controversial, but the public didn't bite.
The public ain't dumb. Miller is more talented than Tebow.
This comes down to two things....
1) Can Michigan State actually complete a few forward passes?
2) Can Ohio State actually tackle Le'Veon Bell?
3) Will those of use with no rooting interest find this game entertaining?
I say the answers are "no," "no" and "hell no." And I'll take Braxton Miller's playmaking in the fourth quarter of a close game.
Buckeyes 17 Spartans 16
Kentucky v. South Carolina
Last week I was in the car and popped on the UK/Florida game on ESPN1530. I heard Wildcat play by play guy Tom Leach make the following call....
"George takes it, goes right side, gets through and he's GOT A KENTUCKY FIRST DOWN!!!!!!"
Wow, I thought, UK might be in this.
Minutes later, Leach announced that the score was Florida 24, Kentucky 0.
Small victories.
Big Blue Madness is two weeks away. Gamecocks 42 Wildcats 10
Miami v. Akron
Four things...
1) The Reds need to earn the number one seed in the NL so their first playoff game doesn't coincide with the Battle For The Victory Bell next week. Apparently, the UC/Miami game can't be moved.
2) The Redhawks looked pretty good last week.
3) Does Jim Tressel wear a blue and gold sweater vest to Akron games?
4) Does anyone even remember Jim Tressel?
Redhawks 24 Zips 14
Dayton v. Butler
Otherwise known as the ESPN1530 Bowl. Why doesn't Lance ever talk about Butler football Flyers 16 Bulldogs 3
I'm off to the Beltway...on the radio from FedEx Field tomorrow at 3:05 on 102.7WEBN and before Bengals v. Jags from noon until 2:30 Sunday on ESPN1530. Be at the Holy Grail for the game later that day, and catch #MoHawkMonday at 3:05 Monday on ESPN1530. Someone needs to do one of these centering out Dwayne on What's Happening!!
