From the Championship Series to the NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a heap of trouble. Starting 1-3 for the first time since the 2002 season, Blitzburgh is quickly falling behind in its division. In fairness, people wrote them off last year after a late-season, three-game losing streak, only to find the Steelers crowned Super Bowl champs weeks later.

I know, I know -- the season is only five weeks old, but the Steelers offense might enter panic mode this week. Ben Roethlisberger has thrown seven interceptions without tossing one touchdown pass. In total offense, Pittsburgh ranks 25th in the entire league. Furthermore, even with 1,000-yard rusher Willie Parker, the Steelers are only 22nd in the league running the ball. And when your total defense isn't top-five material -- especially against the pass (22nd in the league) -- things are going to go poorly.

I wouldn't say the Steelers are done, but unless they string together some wins starting next week at home against Kansas City, they are on the brink of extinction. With the Ravens and Bengals poised to take over control of the division, things are now-or-never for the Steelers. The schedule doesn't favor Pittsburgh, finishing the season with three games against three tough, talented teams (at Carolina, Baltimore and at Cincinnati).

Moving on to baseball, things are heating up. We have our ALCS and NLCS matchups all ready to go -- Detroit and Oakland in the AL; St. Louis (really?) and the New York Mets in the NL. Let's visit key factors in each series.

Showing their stripes
1) The Tigers need to hit -- I don't know if their starters and bullpen can throw as well as they did against the Yankees.
2) Their starters must throw strikes and avoid big situations in which Frank Thomas can cause damage -- Thomas was a beast against Minnesota (5-10, 2 HRs, 3 runs).
3) And obviously the Tigers need to win at least one in Oakland, where the A's were 49-32 this year. But the Stripes were 49-32 on the road, and the experience winning on the road could help them in the first two games, especially with Oakland on longer rest.

Breaking the Curse of Billy Beane?
1) The A's have to be careful against the Tigers at home (see above) and if they aren't able to get on base as easily as the Minnesota series, they could find trouble.
2) How healthy is Rich Harden? If he can go in Game Three, as he's slated to do, he'll have to be solid. I think Zito is good for three starts should this series take all seven games, but the A's still need at least one good start from both Esteban Loaiza and Rich Harden, because Dan Haren will matchup with Justin Verlander.

These are the matchups (with games 5-7 projected):
Zito-Nate Robertson
Loaiza-Kenny Rogers
Haren-Verlander
Harden-Bonderman
Zito-Robertson
Loaiza-Rogers
Haren/Harden-Verlander

I think the matchups favor the Tigers, especially when we don't know how healthy Rich Harden is. So I'll take the Tigers in seven.

Meet the Mets
1) Just hit -- if the Mets hit, the pitching will only need to be adequate. And the Cards don't stack any lefties in their rotation, meanwhile the Mets feast on righties -- go figure.
2) Just get Willie into the fifth or sixth, then Willie can get his bullpen involved -- a major advantage leaning for the Mets.
3) Win with Tom Glavine on the mound, otherwise the Mets might find themselves in trouble with shaky starters John Maine, Steve Trachsel and Oliver Perez throwing games 2-4.

Surprise in the Cards?
1) Get Scott Rolen going -- the bopper only hit 1 for 11 in the NLDS against San Diego, and the pressure is only bigger now.
2) Win with Chris Carpenter -- the same philosophy as Glavine and the Mets: If the Cards can't win with Carpenter, they can't win many other ways.
3) Get either Jeff Suppan or Jeff Weaver going, they'll need another innings-eater with Carpenter to help carry the load. The bullpen is atrocious beyond closer Adam Wainwright and no way will Anthony Reyes or Jason Marquis help in Game 4.

These are the matchups with games 5-7 projected
Weaver-Glavine
Suppan-Maine
Carpenter-Trachsel
(This is where the trouble lies for St. Louis -- do they start Weaver on three days rest? Or go with Anthony Reyes, a guy who's struggled all year with his command and stamina, or Jason Marquis, a pitcher who relies on a sinkerball that doesn't sink and nothing else to rely on? But they will throw against Oliver Perez, a guy who could either be unhittable or terrible, with more odds put on him being awful.)
Weaver?-Glavine
Suppan-Maine
Carpenter-Trachsel

If the series makes it to Game Seven, I'll take the Cardinals. But I don't see it going more than fives games, with the Mets winning every game but Game 3.

So, after taking the Twins-Padres, and biting on it, I'm taking Tigers-Mets with my fingers crossed. I know the Athletics are good, but I like the Tigers mystique.