Opening day wins provide boost

Thursday at 9 p.m., the 34th season of "ABC's Monday Night Football" gets under way with the free-spending Washington Redskins playing host to their favorite off-season target, the New York Jets.
Because there are just 16 regular season games, slow starts can be the kiss of death for NFL teams. However, two defending AFC division champions -- the Jets and Tennessee Titans -- overcame 1-4 starts last year to win the East and South divisions, respectively.
So it's not vital that the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers win their openers Sunday.
But a Browns victory at home against the Indianapolis Colts (a playoff team last January) and a Steelers win over AFC North Division rival Baltimore would give both teams a much-needed boost of confidence, especially when you factor in their schedules over the first five weeks.
The Browns travel to Baltimore and San Francisco (NFC West winner in 2002) before playing Cincinnati at home and at Pittsburgh in a Sunday night game on Oct. 5.
The Steelers travel to Kansas City (Sports Illustrated's pick to win the AFC) and Cincinnati before playing host to the Titans and Browns in playoff rematches.
Good news
The good news for the Browns and Steelers is that the Ravens and Bengals are expected to rely on rookie quarterbacks before the season ends.
The bad news is the loss of Browns offensive lineman Ross Verba (biceps tendon, out for the season) and Steelers linebacker Joey Porter (gunshot wound to the buttocks, recovery timetable unknown).
Unlike the past four seasons, the Browns offense, thanks to quarterback Kelly Holcomb's gunslinger arm and tailback William Green's legs, are expected to score often.
Even with Verba's loss, the offense is in much better shape than the defense that will rely on three second-year linebackers (Andra Davis, Kevin Bentley and Ben Taylor) and a defensive line loaded with unfulfilled promise (Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren).
Gunslingers
Speaking of gunslingers, the Steelers offense has shifted gears thanks to the promotion of quarterback Tommy Maddox.
The Steelers' top three wide receivers (Plaxico Burress, Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El) are as talented a youthful trio as anyone's in the AFC. (Oakland's Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Jerry Porter own veteran honors.)
Like the Browns, the Steelers' defense has question marks, especially now with the loss of their best player.
Both teams should find themselves in plenty of high-scoring games. The defense that does best should win the division.
Baseball
When Manny Ramirez left the Cleveland Indians three years ago, he said one reason was because the Boston Red Sox had a better chance of winning the World Series.
So far, the Red Sox are still looking to clinch their first postseason berth with Ramirez as their cleanup hitter. (Two years ago, the Indians pushed the Seattle Mariners to a fifth-and-deciding game in the ALDS.)
Ramirez should see his first postseason action since 1999 because Boston spends much of September playing the Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
With Brian Giles now a member of the San Diego Padres, Fox Sports Pittsburgh ran a promo for a Pittsburgh Pirates telecast hyping Reggie Sanders. Enough said.
The Pirates began the season with a $57 million payroll, couldn't play .500 ball and lost millions. The guess here is that Bucs owner Kevin McClatchy will try to keep the payroll below $35 million next spring with the hope he can come closer to breaking even with a lot fewer customers.
XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com.