With Drew Brees and Peyton Manning leading their teams to victory again, barely, there is no good reason to drop them in the rankings here. Meanwhile, Brett Favre and Jared Allen did not play, so we held spots for them, but moved Cedric Benson up based on a second 100-yard rushing performance against the Ravens.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints—Halfway through the season, Brees and his Saints are 8-0 and have a three game lead in their division. Suffice to say, this team appears to be headed toward a first round bye, and their QB is one of the biggest reasons.

2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—After a subpar start to 2008 after knee surgery, Manning wanted to get off to a fast start this season, and he has done just that. But what might be more impressive is that after Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, he’s throwing to guys named Garcon and Collie.

3. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals—He rushed for 120 yards against the Ravens in Week 5, and 117 yards against them in Week 9. Read that back. That’s two 100 yard games against the Baltimore Ravens, and that’s just sick.

4. Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings—The old man still has it, much to the dismay of everyone in Northern Wisconsin. You think Ted Thompson is sleeping well lately?

5. Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings—He’s had two weeks to rest those wheels that never seem to stop moving. Next on Allen’s hit list is that poor Stafford kid in Detroit.

Honorable Mention–Elvis Dumervil, Broncos; Andre Johnson, Texans, Tom Brady, Patriots; Adrian Peterson, Vikings; Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars, Chris Johnson, Titans; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Michael Turner, Falcons; Reggie Wayne, Colts; Steve Smith, Giants

A few changes in the works…we’ve eliminated all New York Giants now from contention until they get their act together again. Well, IF they get their act together again. Drew Brees is an animal, and Cedric Benson and Matt Schaub have also entered the Top 5…..

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints—Now Brees has a thrilling comeback to add to his 2009 resume, and coming back from down by 21 on the road was enough to vault him into first here over Peyton Manning, who was good but not great in beating the Rams.

2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts—Can Manning do what Brees did? We’re not sure, and that’s the only reason we have him sitting a notch below the Saints’ QB this week.

3. Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals—He climbed over Adrian Peterson again, this time stunning his former team with a career high 189 yards. And let’s not forget his former team is the defense-minded Bears.

4. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans—He leads the league in TD passes with 16, and he has the Texans playing out of their minds at the moment. If the team had a few more wins, he’d be ranked even higher here.

5. Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings—Allen was mostly held in check by the Steelers, but we’ll let that slide. I’d hate to be Aaron Rodgers this weekend.

Honorable Mention–Elvis Dumervil, Broncos; Andre Johnson, Texans, Tom Brady, Patriots; Brett Favre, Vikings; Adrian Peterson, Vikings; Vernon Davis, 49ers

The Boston Red Sox had knocked the Angels out of the playoffs in their previous four meeting, and Jonathan Papelbon had not given up an earned run in 26 postseason innings. So Red Sox fans must have felt confident with Papelbon entering game 3 in the ninth inning with a lead over the Angels. But this time, Papelbon and the Red Sox came up short, as Vladimir Guerrero came up with the big hit to drive in two runs, sending Papelbon to the showers and ultimately sending the Red Sox home for the winter. As Papelbon was walking off the field, he heard a chorus of boos from the classless Red Sox fans.

In a surprising development, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney is reporting that the Blue Jays have placed outfielder Alex Rios on waivers and an unidentified team has already claimed him.

The Blue Jays, it appears, have three options, and must make a decision by Tuesday, because the waiver period will roll through the weekend:

• They could work out a trade with the team that claimed Rios.
• They could pull him back from waivers, and keep him for themselves the rest of this season.
• They could simply allow the team that claimed him to take him, at no cost.

While this move definitely came out of nowhere, it makes sense that the Jays would want to dump Rios’ salary with his ceiling pretty much maxed out at 28 years old. He’s probably not going to play up to the $60 million that remains on his contract so if another team wants to take on all of his salary, then maybe Toronto is thinking it should jump on the opportunity and spend the money elsewhere.

What’ll be interesting to find out is which team claimed Rios. According to MLB Trade Rumors, several teams including the Mets, Red Sox, Giants, Reds and Mariners did not put a waiver claim on him, so the mystery team remains at large.

The first team that I thought of when I heard this news (and before I checked out MLB Trade Rumors) was the Giants. GM Brian Sabean foolishly toyed with the idea of trading Tim Lincecum for Rios two winters ago, so it would stand to reason that San Fran (who is still a hitter shy of making a serious World Series push) would go after him now. But with the way the waiver claims work in baseball, the Giants would be one of the last teams in line seeing as how they play in the NL (AL teams would have first crack at Rios) and they have the third best record in their league.

Tiger Woods has won the Memorial today after a dramatic rally from four shots down in the final round. It would appear that for all intents and purposes Tiger is back and if not better, than at least as good as ever. This of course spells trouble for anybody actually trying to play against him. Golf.com had a great quote from second place finisher Jim Furyk after the tournament:

“I just didn’t beat one guy,” Furyk said. “It (stinks) finishing second. But he played better. A 7 under on those greens and with the conditions we dealt with, that’s pretty spectacular. I just wish you all would just quit (ticking) him off … so he has to come back and keep proving stuff. I think he answered a lot of questions today.”

Hopefully, this will silence all the reporters still questioning whether or not Tiger can regain his previous form. Although… it’d be nice to see a Nadal figure finally show up in the sport, not that I have anything against Tiger Woods, but a little rivalry would be quite nice.

The Penguins are heading back to the Stanley Cup Finals after beating the Hurricanes 4-1 on Tuesday night and sweeping the best of seven Eastern Conference Finals series. The Pens will now await the winner of the Blackhawks-Red Wings series, which Detroit currently leads 3-1.

After battling the Capitals for seven games in the semifinals, some pundits believed that the Penguins might be worn down for their series against the Canes. But Pittsburgh put those doubts to rest when it took the first two games on its home ice and then crushed the Canes 6-2 in Carolina in Game 3. Game 4 Tuesday night turned out to just be a formality as Carolina struggled offensively.

Now the Pens will wait to see if the Red Wings can finish off the Blackhawks tonight at Joe Lewis Arena. If Chicago plays as bad tonight as it did in Game 4 on Sunday, then the Stanley Cup Finals could kickoff this weekend.

Making matters worse for the Blackhawks, the Wings could get both Nicklas Lindstrom and Pavel Datsyuk back from injury tonight. Detroit coach Mike Babock won’t make a decision on their playing status until each get the opportunity to skate in pregame, but chances are both players will be on the ice tonight.

If the Wings do finish off the Hawks, they would set up a rematch of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, in which they beat the Penguins in six games. Some hockey fans wanted to see a new matchup, but it’s hard to beat the drama that comes from watching Sidney Crosby try to take on the juggernaut that continues to be the Detroit Red Wings.

The NHL is banking a lot on the appeal of the series that started yesterday with a 3-2 win for the Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The reason, of course, is the presence on the ice of the league’s two current marquee players: Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

- Brian Anders over at THE LOVE OF SPORTS has an opinion a bit less excited than I think the NHL hoped to elicit:

Look at the major sports. With the exception of the NBA, which has an infinitesimal roster, dream matchups involve teams typically in big markets. The NBA thrives on LeBron v. Kobe, because with only five on the floor and seven on the bench, the superstars will go mano-a-mano for the majority of the game.

With 1:30 to 2:00 shifts and four forward lines, star hockey players go toe-to-toe a lot less often in the course of an NHL game. In fact, over the course of a seven-game series, the stars will actually face off less than the stars do in just one NBA game.

Well, I’d say that mathematically speaking, it’s true that face-to-face play time is greater in the NBA than a lot of other sports. But that’s certainly not true for individual sports like tennis or boxing, is it? There’s no way we can compare them to the NHL or NBA, they aren’t even team sports. It’s the nature of the beast that team sports don’t have common individual match-ups.

And that statement right there is also why I’m not entirely comfortable with the comparison Mr. Anders makes. I can’t say it’s wrong, but I won’t say it’s right either. Sure, I gotta admit that some of my favorite basketball games have been duels between opposing players, Jordan vs. Magic or even Jordan/Pippen on Malone/Stockton (guess where my loyalties lie yet?) come to mind quite readily, but even those match-ups were won based on the performances of players in general, not entirely on their crushing of each other.

The NFL’s most popular players, to draw on a new example, are by and large the quarterbacks. So it’s basically impossible for them to ever truly play facemask to facemask. We judge them on their individual stats and their ability to help their team win. Works pretty well for the NFL.

I don’t see that hockey should be particularly different. As a team sport, its raison d’etre is pitting one team against another. I’m excited to see how this series continues because I won’t to know who’s going to help their team out more. Furthermore, the sport does allow for frequent individual acts of brilliance. Just because Ovechkin and Crosby might not both be on the ice at once all the time does nothing to detract from the incredible plays they are capable of making whenever they play.

They both scored a goal in Game 1. Let’s hope that tally only increases over the course of the series. It’s a shame I can’t watch the game without some serious cable TV, but that’s another post by itself…

Glavine seems a bit wider than I remember.

Here’s a little news Yahoo! Sports picked up from The Associated Press:

PEARL, Miss. (AP)—Atlanta Braves left-hander Tom Glavine ended his minor league start with Double-A Mississippi early on Sunday after experiencing shoulder discomfort.

The 43-year-old Glavine had expected to throw 50 to 60 pitches, but left after only 36 in two innings. He gave up three hits, including a solo home run, with one walk and no strikeouts against Carolina.

Glavine earned a spot in the Braves’ rotation in spring training but began the season on the disabled list until the Braves need a fifth starter.

He’s returning from offseason surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left elbow. He also had what was regarded as a less serious surgery to clean out his left shoulder.

The Braves said Glavine’s condition would be evaluated following his return to Atlanta.

While this would appear to be a pretty mundane story, I think it again opens up the long-running debate over whether players should retire at the height of their career, wait until a downward trend is obvious, or continue playing until the last of their dignity has been eaten away by injuries and poor performances.

Here we’ve got Tom Glavine, a guy I grew up watching pitch for the Braves, back when I was eight. Don’t get me wrong, I loved him growing up, but watching (or at least reading, since they don’t televise Mississippi minor leagues in Los Angeles) him now feels like going to a Van Halen concert. Who the heck is that guy up front? Something’s wrong.

Now let’s be honest, who am I to tell someone to stop playing the sport they love? Would I be any different in the same situation? Probably not. If a team is willing to start the guy, let him start. But we should also consider his legacy. Glavine’s not going to do anything now that he’s going to be remembered for later. He’s already going to be a hall-of-famer after he retires and plenty of people like me will remember him fondly.

Baseball has lots of stories of players throwing themselves at whatever team will have them, just so they can stay in the game. Ricky Henderson is a recent example of that. It’s sad to see these men playing past their prime for fractions of their previous salaries, but perhaps my knee-jerk reaction to hearing this story is misplaced.

If they still have enough skill to contribute positively to the sport, there’s no reason we shouldn’t let them. Perhaps instead of viewing people like Brett Favre as foolish codgers stealing jobs from newer, younger stars, we should see men fighting against the passage of time. Athletes not looking necessarily for one last shot at glory, but simply one more year before they have to give up the ghost and unlace their cleats for the last time. Joy and regret mixed in equal parts.

No corny jokes.

No stale pop culture references.

Just a touching story about a Montana kid whose father was a big John Elway fan.

I’ll give props when props are due…

Good column, Rick.

On the heels of Rafael Furcal’s re-signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ken Rosenthal has predicted the likely destinations of baseball’s top 11 remaining free agents.

1. Mark Teixeira (1B) to the Red Sox
With CC Sabathia gone, Teixeira is the big-ticket item remaining on the market. The price is going to be high, but given Teixeira’s age (28), he looks like the surest bet out there. Teixeira routinely puts up a line of .300-30-100 and plays strong defense. In the right park, he may push for 40 home runs. The Red Sox are hot on his trail, but they have company from the Nats and possibly others

2. Manny Ramirez (LF) to the Yankees
The market on Manny has been very difficult to gauge. The Winter Meetings brought nothing but more rumors. The latest development is that the Angels have some interest. There’s no doubting Manny’s bat, or his ability to carry a team when motivated. He and Mark Teixeira remain the top-two sluggers on the market.

3. Derek Lowe (SP) to the Red Sox
With CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett off the market, Lowe becomes arguably the most reliable free-agent starter. Ben Sheets may have better stuff, but Lowe has consistency on his side. Lowe posted his lowest ERA (3.24) since 2002 last season and has pitched 180 innings or more for seven straight years.

4. Adam Dunn (RF) to the Nationals
Like Burrell, Dunn has an enticing power stroke but a susceptibility to too many Ks and a low batting average. But unlike Burrell, when it comes to Dunn we’re talking 40 homers a season, not 30. That means there’s always going to be a market for Dunn, who has hit 40 or more home runs in five consecutive seasons.

5. Ben Sheets (SP) to the Rangers
The Yankees were mentioned to have interest in Sheets during the Winter Meetings, but nothing came of it. Sheets has ace stuff, but doesn’t always stay healthy. Having said that, Sheets threw 198 innings last season, his most since 2004. His ‘08 ERA of 3.09 might be too hard to resist for teams willing to gamble on a potential No. 1.

8. Pat Burrell (RF) to the Mets
Burrell’s overall numbers paint the picture of a dynamic slugger who offers an all-or-nothing to his team. He can jack it out of the park with the best of them, but is prone to long lulls as evidenced by his .210 batting average in the second half last season. But still, 30 homers is 30 homers, and that may be too much to resist for a team in need of a power stick.

A close look at Rosenthal’s list fits with most of the discussion around the hot stove league. This is the offseason of the almighty dollar, the cold period within winter when the Yankees and Red Sox scoop up the biggest names floating around the market. With that in mind, it seems odd that Rosenthal would exclude the Dodgers and Angels from his list, given that they are two of the most profitable organizations in the league.

Mark Teixiera and Derek Lowe have both expressed their preference for playing on the East Coast. If the Red Sox do sign Teixiera and Lowe, I can’t imagine how high their payroll will be, given their already exceptional lineup. Still, I can see the allure of playing for the Red Sox Nation. Think about it: Jason Bay, J.D. Drew, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Mark Teixiera, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Derek Lowe. If the Red Sox can make this happen, they’ll have the best team in baseball. Period.

In the inevitability that the Dodgers don’t re-sign Lowe (and Brad Penny, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jeff Kent), they will be left with a pile of money to spend. Although Manny in pinstripes would be exciting, the Dodgers know they need a bat in their lineup that can crank out more than 25 homeruns a season. Unless the Yankees are prepared to offer Manny a five-year contract worth around $120 million, Manny will be forced to sign with the only other team that wants him, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Who knows, maybe Hank Steinbrenner is more serious than we all thought, and he’ll manage to bring over the Dreadlocked One. On a side note: how awesome is the AL East going to be with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays all competing with powerful teams? Anyway, after the Dodgers wise up and sign Manny, their GM Ned Colletti will have to find a replacement for Lowe as the ace in their rotation. And who better than Ben Sheets? Ben, if you want a shot at making the playoffs, the sign points west of Texas, to la-la land.

As for the Angels, I don’t know what GM Tony Reagins has up his sleeve. After failing to pick up veteran outfielder Garrett Anderson’s option and with Teixiera likely heading to Boston, it’s unclear how the Angels are planning on spending their money. They could always sign Jason Giambi who can still hit and isn’t terrible at his position. Then, to fill that hole in the outfield, they can pick up Bobby Abreu. Oh right, they need a closer! Brian Fuentes?

Man, baseball is going to be so exciting next year.