Programming Notes: No radio show today.  We're bumped for the Friday Bengals Pep Rally this afternoon, a show I may make an appearance at simply as an act of intimidation toward Dan Hoard and Artrell Hawkins.

Join me tomorrow afternoon from 3:00 until 6:00, and again on Sunday morning from 9:00 until noon on 700WLW.

-There appears to be a lot happening on the local sports calendar this weekend.  Let's dive right in.

Reds v. Giants.

At least there's this: The San Francisco Giants are a lot less insufferable without this dude.

Brian Wilson was lost for the year back in April after having Tommy John surgery.  I don't know if he'll be with the Giants offering moral support during the postseason - I would imagine this guy is even more fatiguing to his teammates than he is to everyone else - but at least we get what will be a long series without having to deal with this guy on the mound, and without having to hear about his stupid beard.

And yes, we're getting a long series.

You can take the five National League teams and throw 'em in a hat.  There's not much separation between them.  They may have different strengths and weaknesses, but there's no clear cut favorite among them.  And there's no clear-cut favorite between the Reds and Giants.

What worries me is how the two teams score.  The Reds are not exactly going into the postseason on a high note with the bats.  They've scored 14 runs in their last 81 innings, September was clearly their worst offensive month, they're not getting much pop (16 homers since September 1st) and they're going into a ballpark for the first two games that's pitcher-friendly (Hitters might have an easier time actually getting an AT&T signal than getting big hits at AT&T Park.  It yielded the fewest homers per game and the second fewest runs per in the sport).  And Matt Cain, despite the Reds' success against him, is coming off a huge year and Madison Bumgarner has been nearly unbeatable at home.

If the ball isn't flying out of the yard and if no one is getting on base at the top of the lineup, can the Reds find ways to score?

The Giants don't hit home runs - they're dead last in the NL - but they don't strikeout much and they get on base.  San Fran has the second-fewest K's in the league and their on-base percentage was fourth-highest.  They've gotten better offensively without Melky Cabrera and with Hunter Pence giving them next to nothing.

They grounded into the fewest percentage of double plays in the league and they were the best team in the NL at getting runners in from third with less than two out (56% success rate).  Their individual numbers don't wow you, though Buster Posey did win the batting title and Marco Scutaro has hit .362 since moving from Colorado to San Francisco, but they find ways to score.

Can the Reds?

In at least one game, yes.

I can see the Reds getting shut down at least once.  The Giants have good starters, and the Reds aren't hitting.  San Fran pitching completely neutralizing Cincinnati hitters would hardly be a shock - for one game or even across this series - and I'll guess there's a game where the Reds do next to nothing with the bats.

But I'll guess they have a game where they rake.

Admittedly, this isn't exactly scientific, but I figure on the Reds having at least one game in this series where the hitters wake up, get some consecutive hits, a couple of long ones, and put up some of Chris Welsh's beloved crooked numbers. Is that game more likely to happen at GABP? Yes.  And might the run-scoring surge be limited to one game?  Absolutely.  But at some point, and I hate to sound like Jerry Narron, these guys are gonna have a game where good at-bats are spread around like a Bay Area hippie's roach clip.

And I like three clear Reds advantages.

One is homefield.  I know, I know, I've gone on and on about this, but I see the Reds have having not just an edge because three of the five games will be at GABP, but because the Giants face the pressure of having to win their two home games.  No closeout game will be played in San Francisco, the Reds will have their two hottest pitchers in games three and four, and get a game five here with a 19-game winner on the mound. 

They went 50-31 at home this season.  If they're playing desperate baseball, they'll be playing it here.  And if the Reds are going for the kill, the Giants will have to stave off elimination on the road.

Another is game three.

Cueto v. Cain could be a tossup.  Bumgarner v. Arroyo is not, but Bronson is better suited throwing on the road, and he's unlikely to totally wilt under the pressure of a potential 0-1 hole.  Latos vs. Lincecum favors the Reds.

Regardless of where the series stands after two games, the Reds must win game three.  Lincecum is coming off his worst season, one where he led the league in losses, earned runs given up, and wild pitches. 

This is the one game where the Reds have a decided advantage, and in a series that figures to be close, it's the one they need to get in order to win this series.

And I like the Reds' bullpen and their bench.

I know we hammered the Reds lack of depth for months, but the Reds could go into this series with an NL Rookie Of The Year candidate coming off the bench.  I trust Todd Frazier in big situations late, and if at some point Dusty decides to start Todd instead, you can do a lot worse than a borderline Hall of Famer in Rolen pinch-hitting in a big situation.  Xavier Paul has turned into an asset, as has Dioner Navarro (I'd carry Mesoraco so I could use him more liberally), and despite some late-season issues, Chris Heisey has some pinch-hitting chops as well.

I think the Reds are going to get a big hit off the bench against San Fran's bullpen.  I can't say the same for the Giants.

The 'pen has been this team's biggest strength all season.  Dusty has options early, if he needs them, and he has plenty of options late in games.  While hardly infallible, Reds relievers have come up big time and again.  I saw Chapman, Broxton, Marshall and company get the series biggest outs when called upon.

And I like Johnny Cueto pitching game five.

If I were a San Fran fan, I'd be happy with Matt Cain pitching a do-or-die, and the idea of this offense taking their licks against him in a win-or-go-home scenario is less than appealing, but I trust Johnny.  I know he struggled late.  I know he gave up too many long ones this past month, but when the NL Central race was tight (remember way back when) and the Reds needed him to win to stop short losing streaks, he did.  He threw well when the Reds needed him to in the '10 NLDS, he became the staff ace when the needed him to in 2012, and he'll win the biggest start of the season when this series reaches its climax.

I know this team has warts.  I know they frustrate.  And I know they face legit questions as both the quality of the competition and the stakes get higher.  But this team just seemed to have it all season.  Their best attribute all season was the ability to win even when not at their best more than any Reds team I can remember, they had that special intangible ingredient that every championship team must have.

I'm not ready to crown them World Series champs.  Frankly, I can't remember a postseason that was more wide open.  But I say a Reds team that won 97 games already at least finds a way to win three more.

Somehow.  Someway.  These guys advance.

Reds in five.

(Thanks to reader Mark)

-Because I've gotta make predictions I suppose....I like Atlanta and Texas in the Wild Card Games.  I like Atlanta in five over Washington.  I like Oakland over Detroit and I like Texas over the Yankees, both in four.

Yes, I'm still buying into the Rangers.

Bengals v. Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill's spouse-selecting can't be questioned.

I'll make this pretty quick....

The Dolphins will run it.  A lot.  And they'll have some success.  But Ryan Tannehill is gonna make the kind of mistakes he avoided when selecting a wife. Miami protects their rookie QB well, but the return of Carlos Dunlap has made them nearly impossible to block when rushing the passer.  They won't get six sacks again, but they'll force a couple of picks.

Benjarvus won't fumble this week, which is a start.   And the offense will keep clicking just enough,  Miami does enough on the ground and the Bengals are still enough of a work in progress defensively for this to be close, but I like the good guys to go 4-1....

Bengals 24 Dolphins 23

Good thing this ain't Vegas.  With the St. Louis win last night, I'm now a whopping 25-38.  Good times.  I expect an inspired effort from the Colts.  I expect more touchdowns from the Packers.  Green Bay wins.  Indy (+7.5) covers....There's actually talk that Brady Quinn could play some for the Chiefs.  That ain't good.  Ha. Brady Quinn. Baltimore will be 4-1 after whacking KC....The Browns will give the Giants all they can handle, solidifying my belief that the Bengals will lose to them next week.  New York isn't gonna lose, but they ain't blowing out Cleveland (+9.5)....The Steelers are getting key guys back at just the right time.  They're not losing a must-win at home to Michael Vick.  Pittsburgh (-3.5) forces 17 Philly turnovers and wins....The Redskins are still a mess defensively. The Falcons score at will.  Problem is, so does DC.  At home.  I like Washington (+3.5) to make Atlanta sweat....The Seahawks defense might be Cam Newtons' toughest test yet.  Seattle (+3.5) goes across the country and wins at Carolina....In what will be a simply unwatchable game, Chicago (-5.5) beats Jacksonville....Have you seen the Titans play defense?  Minnesota (-5.5) easy over Tennessee....In Brady v. Manning XIII, the Patriots running game makes the difference.  New England wins the game.  Denver (+6.5) makes it close....The Bills are too soft to beat the 49ers.  San Fran (-9.5) wins a blowout....The Saints couldn't be more desperate.  Desperate times call for Norv Turner.  New Orleans (-3.5) gets off whatever a schnide is against San Diego....If you have a bookie, call him.  Now.  Houston (-7.5) hammers the Jets.

This is one of the best sports weekends I can remember locally.  Even if we were one of those cities that had nothing going for it, like say, Peoria, we could still look forward to a pretty solid slate of college football games.  There's West Virginia/Texas, LSU/Florida, and Georgia/South Carolina.

But most important, there's this....

This is proof that yes, there was a time when Miami would win the Battle For the Victory Bell game against UC.

Cincinnati v. Miami

Miami might have the better quarterback.  They also have a the worst defense.  Not just in this game, but in about a 500-mile radius.  Lost in the last-minute heroics of Legaux, Julian, and the offense, was how stout UC's defense was for three quarters against Va. Tech.  If the Redhawks have Nick Harwell, and if Zac Dysert spreads the ball around, I can see this game being reasonably close headed into the fourth.  But MU wont' get stops when they need them. 

The RedHawks haven't won the Bell since 2005.  They're not winning it this year.  My attention might be divided between the field in Clifton and the happenings in San Francisco on TV as the game winds down, but I'll enjoy another Bearcat win over the Redhawks.

Bearcats 38  Redhawks 20

Ohio State v. Nebraska

You felt the same way when you were in college....

Hell, I graduated from college 13 years ago, and I feel that way.

Best two QBs in the conference...maybe the best game of the season in the conference.  It ain't like there's much competition for that title.  I guess this depends on how much game film Urban Meyer decided to share.  OSU's close calls are eventually gonna catch up with them.  A late turnover dooms Ohio State. Cornhuskers 27 Buckeyes 24.

Kentucky v. Mississippi State

Who are we kidding?  This is all you care about...

Bulldogs 42 Wildcats 14

Should be a decent weekend.  Enjoy it and hope for a few more like it.  Catch me on the radio this weekend and keep it here for blogs after the games this weekend.  Play me out, Boss....