Both Teams are 3-3????

After the results of the first six games of the NFL season,both the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks are 3-3.
This is surprising to me on both fronts,as I didn't think Cleveland would be able to be 3-3 due to a tough schedule and especially after their horrid opening day vs Pittsburgh.
Nor did I think that Seattle would lose 3 games early on,but both are,to my great surprise.

The Browns defeated the Miami Dolphins 41-31 in a game that was not as close as the score indicates.
Cleveland raced to a 24-3 lead,allowed the Dolphins to close to 27-24 before turning the jets back on and pulling away.
It almost seemed like they allowed the Dolphins to catch up and then devastate them by pulling away just when Miami thought that they had a chance.
Derek Anderson threw three touchdowns-all three to Braylon Edwards and added a rushing touchdown to boot.
Even more encouraging was the fact that Anderson did not throw any interceptions.
Jason Wright scored the games first points on a one yard touchdown run.
Wright was playing in place of the injured Jamal Lewis and finished with 59 yards on 20 carries,but the better ground performance went to Jerome Harrison,who rushed for 57 yards in just 8 carries.
If you remember back in the Browns preview,I wondered why the shifty Harrison was not used as a change of pace back and that I thought he could be quite effective in that role.
Hopefully yesterday earned him more opportunities to play.
The offensive line played well,as Jason Taylor provided the only Miami sack and Joey Porter continued to be a non-factor.
The defense still needs to pick things up.
31 points to a Cleo Lemon led team is not a wonderful performance,but the win is what counts and I would have taken 3-3 going into the bye week every time that it would have been offered to me before the season.
The Browns return in two weeks in St.Louis against the 0-6 Rams.

Meanwhile in Seattle...........
I wrote in my game picks that I thought the Saints were sitting on a big game and I was right.
But I was wrong because I thought the Seahawks could hold them off and that was far off the mark.
The Saints dominated the Seahawks 28-17 in a game that had it all.
Inept offense (although the stats don't show it),bad defense (in the first half) and horrid special teams.
Boone Stutz dribbled a snap that eluded Ryan Plackemeier and quickly handed the Saints a touchdown,momentum and a lead that they would never relinquish.
Matt Hasselbeck' s stats look great,but they were mostly accumulated late with the Saints trading yardage for clock and when the Seahawks still had a heartbeat,Hasselbeck stepped on it with a pass that could be charitably described as awful.
Shaun Alexander had another bad night,but that was more to being behind and Mike Holmgren's bad play calling.
Speaking on which-Mike Holmgren has to be the most overrated playcaller in the game.
Always a draw on 3rd and long and always a screen pass on third and short.
Cannot knock the depleted wide receiving corps,they are doing their best when you consider guys like Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson are your top guys.
Usually those guys are 3rd wideouts at best.
But the offensive line is supposed to be a strength and when 800 pound Hollis Thomas is able to dump the QB,there are problems somewhere.
I could add more,but I would just be adding to the fire.
For a better recap-try Field Gulls .
They do an excellent and detailed recap every week and I will be adding them to the links page.
The Seahawks remain home for a visit from the 0-6 Rams.
Get used to hearing about the Rams as they will be covered here for the next two weeks.

Bullpen Notes

The ALCS continues tonight in Cleveland with Jake Westbrook defending for the Wahoos against Daisuke Matsusaka for the Dirty Waters.
Coverage here tomorrow.

Ohio State did indeed rise to the number 1 ranking.
I think I will enjoy it now.
Don't think it will last the season.

Well traveled minor league outfielder Kevin Thompson was claimed by the Pirates from Oakland today off the waiver wire.
Thompson likely will be an Indianapolis Indian,but this is the type of move that I like-Gamble on some of these guys that never got a chance and maybe one or two will pan out.

Back tomorrow with ALCS action and some political commentary that you may or may not be interested in.....

Photo Credits
Browns-Roadell Hickman-Cleveland Plain Dealer
Seahawks-Dan DeLong-Seattle Post-Intelligencer