Five for the Weekend - October 23 edition

Here are the five I am keeping an eye on this weekend:

Los Angels Angels at New York Yankees, Game 6 and 7 (if necessary)
Hey New York, has it really been 8 years since we last saw you in the Fall Classic? Personally, I wish it was more like 88 years, but they weren't the best team money can buy until the 1990's. I would love for the Angels to come back and send all that money home, but who am I kidding. Therefore, it would be nice if the Yanks would close this out on Saturday and set-up a C.C Sabathia-Cliff Lee match-up in Game 1 on Wednesday. How do you feel about that one Indian fan? After that duel in Game 1, let the balls start to fly out one after one after one in games 2-4. A Yankees-Phillies World Series should have more runs scored than some Giant-Eagle games.

Big Ten Road Tests
Iowa visits Sparty and Penn State goes to the Big House. Aside - If the University of Miami plays at Michigan, is it a home game for Miami? Back to the Big Ten - Iowa has clearly been the Big Ten's best, but as usual I have heard the "no better than 7th in the SEC talk". Sparty has things going in the right direction, but that is usually not the case for long . Better for the Big Ten nationally if Iowa keeps winning, better for the Big Ten race if State beats Iowa at home for the 6th consecutive time. Penn State needs to prove itself this week and who knows what Michigan will bring to the table. The Nittany Lions always struggle in Michigan, but I just don't like this two QB system that Michigan is using. Penn State should win and stay alive.

Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers
The defending champs try to slay the 6-0 Vikes a week before Favre heads back to Lambeau. It seems everyone is putting this one in the Steelers column already. Maybe if it seems that obvious, it really isn't. The Vikings sure seem to be charmed this year - easily could be 4-2 with three of those wins over Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis. But didn't Pittsburgh lose to the Bengals? Here is my main reason to pick the Steelers this week - Minnesota has not been outdoors since week 1 - and that will be enough to slow down the pass rush and allow Big Ben to find his talented receivers. I wonder if the Vikings will be on next weeks "5"?

Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals
Does anyone believe the Bengals are very good? Who would have thought Cedric Benson, a Bears cast-off, would be out-producing Matt Forte? Maybe someone should see what Rashaan Salaam or Curtis Enis is doing these days. If the world is right, the Bears should win. I hope the world is not right on Sunday.

Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
Jim Zorn has been removed from play-calling duties. Yeah Washington, that is the problem. Maybe if you would call a couple more bubble screens and a few less slant and go's you would be 4-2 or something. Exactly. The reason Washington is below expectation is because they are a team that has hitched its wagon to a QB that just doesn't have the "it" factor and is destined to be mediocre his entire career. This commitment to the wrong QB can set a team back years. And the financial commitment that is often made makes it almost impossible to get out while there is still time. The Redskins need to move on at QB. So do the Raiders. Hey Marc Bulger, here is a giant contract and a guarantee that we are going to stink for the next 5 years. Guess what Buffalo, Trent Edwards is not going to get you to the playoffs. He does not make any plays. In Cleveland, they have two QB's who are terrible. A daily double. All these teams should have a new QB next year and several are a year late already. Will Matt Stafford be on this list in a couple years too?

Until the next one....