Battle of the Bullies

What happens when two of the baddest bullies in the neighborhood square off in a fist fight? We'll find out Sunday when the 4-0 Tennessee Titans renew their bitter rivalry with the 2-1 Baltimore Ravens. Over the past 8 years, this match up has made warriors out of men and champions out of warriors. Sprinkle in the fact that these two teams really don't like each other, and you have the potential for an explosive showdown at M&T Bank Stadium. There is plenty of reason for dislike on both sides. In their short time as new franchises, these games have produced some memorable finishes.

The feud started in 2000, when the Baltimore Ravens handed the Titans their first home loss at then Adelphia Coliseum. A 13 home game winning streak snapped by a Trent Dilfer touchdown pass late in the game. For an encore, the Ravens returned to Nashville and knocked off the number one seed Titans on their way to a super bowl victory. The following year on Monday Night Football, the Raves once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a goal line stand as time expired. Throwing salt on the wound, the Ravens acquired several key Titans during Tennessee's salary cap purge. In the 2003 playoffs, the Titans returned the favor behind a gritty performance from an injured Eddie George. His bulldozing of the invincible Ray Lewis sparked his team and made him a folk hero in the Music City.

Some names have changed but the style of play remains the same. Both teams look to dominate in the trenches, run the ball, and stop the run. You won't see anyone stepping out of bounds to avoid a hit, and you won't see defensive players helping up a flattened quarterback. This is a throwback game in it's purest form. And oh yeah, both teams are looking to stay atop their division.

Rodriguez era officially begins.....

The University of Michigan Athletic Department gave West Virginia2.5 million dollars to leave Rich Rodriguez alone. Coach Rodriguez gave Michigan a return on their investment by knocking off 9th ranked Wisconsin, and engineering the greatest comeback in the history of the Big House. 109,000 fans watched their beloved Wolverines blossom right before their very eyes, ripping off 27 unanswered points in their Big Ten opener.

The way in which the Wolverines won was more impressive than the victory itself. Any one watching the first half would have sworn they were still in rainy South Bend, as Michigan committed five more turnovers and totaled 21 measly yards of offense. Trailing 19-0, the Wolverines headed to the locker room amid a chorus of boos reserved for the visiting Buckeyes.

Credit Rich Rodriguez for staying the course. He showed confidence in his struggling quarterback, and showed confidence in his spread offense. His team responded by racking up 244 second half yards and three offensive touchdowns. Defensive Coordinator Scott Schafer stayed aggressive, forcing two second half turnovers and scoring a touchdown of their own. The highly publicized strength and conditioning program paid huge dividends as the Wolverines simply outlasted Wisconsin. Coach Rodriguez will only allow a 24 hour grace period for pondering victories and defeats. That's good, because this type of win just raised the expectation level at Michigan.