Yes, the Bengals played the best football that they've played all season, today in the Meadowlands against the defending Super Bowl champion Giants. Yes, they took them to overtime and ALMOST won. But, before anyone starts saying that there's still hope or that this was a moral victory, let me extinguish that fire.

Many of the same, terrible trends that have plagued the Bengals through their bad years showed themselves again today. Carson Palmer was sacked 7 times as his offensive line again let him down. And again, the Bengals registered no sacks and virtually no pressure on Eli Manning. So, as usual, the Bengals lost the trench fight, and that battle wasn't even close. Again, Chad Johnson proved not to be a clutch receiver as he had two big drops. Perhaps his shoulder is preventing him from wrapping up passes, but that's his job. So, while they LOOKED better and actually seemed to play with some amount of pride, many of their bad habits came back to haunt them. The worst habit is the defense inability to stop plays on third down. This is something good teams do and bad teams don't do. The Bengals are obviously a bad team.

The Bengals are 0-3 and going nowhere, make no mistake. They will be lucky to win 4 games all year. It was nice to hold my attention for a full game, yes, but until they fix these major flaws and change their "expecting to lose" attitudes, they won't ever get ahead. So, could today's loss be a moral victory? Only if they take what they learned and fix the problems. Unfortunately, you can't fix these type of problems. They're embedded and mostly due to a lack of talent and poor coaching. 

Here is a look at some of Sunday's best performances:

Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami - 17 carries, 113 yards, 4 TD, 1 pass TD
Well it looks like Brown is healthy as he took control of the big upset against the Patriots. His partner Ricky Williams played well too with 98 rushing yards. The real question about Brown though, is did anyone start him on their fantasy team against the Pats?

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta - 23 carries, 104 yards, 3 TD
As long as the Falcons get to play teams like the Lions and Chiefs, Turner is going to be a stud. Jerrius Norwood looked good to with 105 total yards. And Roddy White caught five passes for 119 yards and scored.

Brian Griese, QB, Tampa Bay - 38/67, 407 yards, 2 TD, 3 Int
The Bears took away the Bucs running game and Griese made them pay through the air - eventually. Tampa won with a field goal in overtime to give Griese the win in his return to the windy city. With Joey Galloway inactive, Antonio Bryant stepped up to catch 10 balls for 138 yards.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo - 23 carries, 83 yards, 2 TD, 4 catches, 31 yards
While quarterback Trent Edwards had a more than servicable game (279 yards, 1 TD) it is really Lynch who is the key to the Bills offense. Yes, their win today was close against what is considered a weak Oakland team. But it is still a victory and Buffalo is 3-0 for the first time since their AFC Championship days.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati - 12 catches, 146 yards, 1 TD
It took three weeks but the Bengals offense finally scored a touchdown through the air thanks to Housh. Of course his partner, Chad Who?, did not do much better with just 29 yards on three catches. And the Bungals still lost. Heck, if anything this Game Ball should go to Amani Toomer whose catch set up the game winning field goal.

Jacksonville RB's - 45 carries, 228 yards, 1 TD
The Jags finally hit the ground running and it paid off with a big win against the Colts. Fred Taylor led the team with 121 yards on 26 carries. Maurice Jones-Drew had 107 yards and a touchdown as well as 59 receiving. Everyone seems to know that the Jags win by running, it just makes you wonder what really went wrong those first two games.

Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver - 6 catches, 155 yards, 1 TD
Yes, he caught 12 fewer passes this week than last but he had other things on his mind. If this guy could stop getting into legal trouble - and stop getting suspended - he could be a real stud. Regardless, his team is off to a great start with three impressive wins against some pretty good clubs.

Julius Jones, RB, Seattle - 22 carries, 140 yards, 1 TD
Another big games for the new Seahawk as the passing game is still sputtering. Sure, 140 yards against the Rams is like 60 against a real defense, but it is still a good day's work. It is important to note that T.J. Duckett also ran for 79 yards and scored twice - both time in goalline situations.


A Basket of Game Used Socks
I can't decide who stunk it up the most on Sunday, so you can decide for me. Here are your choices:
Matt Schaub, QB, Houston - 17/37, 188 yards, 3 Int. Sure Andre Johnson dropped a bunch of balls but still...
Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City - 24 carries, 121 yards, 1 TD. Actually great numbers LJ, but your team still got creamed - by the Falcons!
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh - 13/25, 131 yards, 1 Int, 9 sacks. The Steelers are a run first team - try doing some yourself Ben.
Bill Belichick, Caoch, New England - Loses 38-13 to Miami. Without Tom Brady this guy looks like he's coaching the Browns.
Derek Anderson, QB, Cleveland - 14/37, 125 yards, 1 TD, 3 Int. Hey Derek! DEREK! Can you say 'Brady Quinn?'

Mike Lopresti, USA Today on the remarkable win by America in the Ryder Cup: 

There was the good ol' boy from the Florida panhandle, who started the tense day by becoming the first golfer in Ryder Cup history to put his driver between his legs and ride an imaginary horse down the No.1 fairway.

Boo Weekley was here to have fun and win, and did both.

By Sunday night, his message — the U.S. team needed more of the first before it could accomplish the second — was louder than the red blouses of the team wives. You listen to a man who goes out Sunday at the Ryder Cup and gets six birdies and an eagle. There was the young golfer who had gotten caught himself up in some awkward pre-Ryder Cup quotes, questioning some of the activities of the week. By Sunday night, Hunter Mahan — a European killer with a 2-0-3 record for the weekend — had become a full believer.

Someone wondered if he had ever experienced such a thing. "Unless you play in this," he said, "you won't."

And there were the Kentuckians — one old and one new — who came to Valhalla Golf Club eager to win for their country and desperate to win for their state.

J.B. Holmes is 26 and plays with the pace of oozing pancake syrup. But he went out for four matches and the Europeans are still waiting to beat him.

Kenny Perry is 48, and maybe he was the heart of the entire effort. He was here to give everything he had, even as his body began to break down.

Lost in the pennant races and the start of the football season is the fact that Angels' closer Francisco Rodriguez is rewriting history. He picked up his 60th save (in 67 chances) Saturday night in the team's win over the Rangers.

K-Rod is due to be a free agent at the end of the year and you better believe some team is going to open up their pocket books. Keep in mind the Reds dished out 4 years, $48 million to a 32-year old Fransico Cordero this past off-season. That should translate into big bucks for Rodriguez. But is he really worth it?

He will only be 27 when next season begins, so age does not appear to be an issue. Still, teams need to look at more than just saves.

Rodriguez has not been as dominant this season as he has in the past, he's simply benefited from playing for a team that wins a bunch of close games. Consider some of these numbers recently posted by Adam Ronis on his fantasy blog at Newsday.com:

The Angels' closer has blown seven saves and none of his saves are for more than one inning. He has a 2.35 ERA and a career-high 1.34 WHIP. He has pitched in a career-high 72 games yet has a career-low 74 strikeouts. Hitters are batting .222, which is also a career worst. 

Brad Lidge has not blown a save all season. He has a 1.93 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and an 84/32 K/BB ratio in 65 1/3 innings. Rivera has blown just one save, and even Joakim Soria, who has 40 saves on a bad team, has blown just three.

Mariano Rivera has a 74/6 K/BB ratio in 67 1/3 innings with a 1.47 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. Jonathan Papelbon has a 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 73/7 K/BB ratio in 65 innings. Soria has a 1.65 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with a 64/16 K/BB ratio in 65 1/3 innings.

Joe Nathan, Rivera, Papelbon and Soria all have better ERAs and WHIPs than Rodriguez, some by a significant amount. Rodriguez has 17 more saves than the guy behind him. Jose Valverde has 42 saves.

Rodriguez has had 66 save opportunities. Papelbon is way behind with 44 chances and Nathan and Soria are tied for third in the American League with just 43 chances. That's a stark difference. Valverde leads the NL with 48 chances.

Sunday night marked the final baseball game at Yankee Stadium, we take a look at SportsLifer.com's best non-baseaball moments in the historic landmark:

Top 10 Yankee Stadium events (other than baseball), chronological order:

1. At halftime, Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne urges his squad to “Win one for the Gipper” as Irish, left. rally to defeat Army, 12-6, in honor of former All-America George Gipp, 1928

2. Undefeated Fordham and the Seven Blocks of Granite need one more win to reach the Rose Bowl, but NYU beats Vince Lombardi and company, 7-6,on a muddy field, 1936

3. Joe Louis not only knocks out Max Schmeling, below, in the first round for the heavyweight title, he gave the United States a shot of pride against Hitler’s Nazi Germany, 1938

4. In a game that featured four past or future Heisman Trophy winners, number one ranked Army and second-ranked Notre Dame play to a scoreless tie, 1946

5. Joey Maxim outlasts Sugar Ray Robinson, who lost 16 pounds in the heat, in 13 rounds in a light-heavyweight title bout, 1952

6. The New York Giants again don sneakers on an icy field and overwhelm the Chicago Bears, 47-7, to win their third NFL championship, 1956

7. Pope Paul VI hosts the first of three Papal Masses at Yankee Stadium, followed by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, 1965, 1979 and 2008

8. Pat Summerall kicks a long field goal in a swirling snowstorm to give the Giants a 13-10 win over the Cleveland Browns, forcing a playoff for the NFL East crown, 1958

9. In what is called “The Greatest Game Ever Played”  the Baltimore Colts defeat the New York Giants, 23-17, in overtime in the game that raised the profile of the NFL. At left, Alan Amache scores the winning touchdown in the December dusk, 1958

10. Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton by unanimous decision in their rubber match and retains his heavyweight championship, 1976

Other Highlights

Tony Zale over Rocky Graziano for middleweight championship, 1946

More than 123,00 crowd first annual Jehovah’s Witness convention, 1950

Unbeaten heavyweight champ Rocky Marciano defeats Ezzard Charles.1954 

Carmen Basilio outpoints Sugar Ray Robinson to capture middleweight crown, 1957

Sweden’s Ingemar Johansson knocks out the champ, Floyd Patterson, 1959

Giants Y.A.Tittle ties NFL record with seven touchdown passes against Washington Redskins, 1962

An inter-faith prayer service is held 13 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 2001

Billy Joel, U2 and Pink Floyd are among the few rock groups to play the Stadium