In the East, Stroupe has completed a surprising sweep of the "Cisco Kids" Bud and Wallace to take the division lead. This despite having a crippling bye that took five of his players and an injury that took his top reciever, Michael Westbrook.

In the West, Dahlin-Bethea won the battle of the rookies to claim the divion lead over Jackson, who they beat in week 2.

Wallace's 20 points were his lowest total in exactly two years when he scored 19 in a week 3 loss to JK in 98. To say he was missing his "edge" this week is very true. Edgerrin James had 29 points in the first two weeks. At least his bye is over with.

The match with JK unsheathed the poison pen of Jones, but they could do little on the field this week. Nothing from Favre, all from Faulk. Faulk's 46 points leads the BRFL and is almost half of JK's points.

Outlaw, vacationing in the Greek Isles, is running on auto-pilot. He let Bud pick his D, (Cincinnati, jeeze) and had two Jaguars, Mike Hollis and Fred Taylor in his lineup that did not play.

The undefeated AB has never started this fast. This was a franchise more familiar with starting off 0-3 when "0" in the "W" column, not in the "L" column. In 1999, he started 0-3 and in 1995, he shares the record for the worst start at 0-10. For the first two weeks AB had been carried by a WR that went crazy, but this week it was his running backs, Robert Smith and Jerome Bettis who scored. Starting Bettis was a good move. He usually has good games against Best: 2 TDs in 99, 3 TDs in 97.

Stephen Davis gave Best his first mutiple TD game from a player in 2000 and it came at a good time. Trailing AB by 10 points going into Monday, Davis scored twice to put Best briefly ahead. After scoring 8 TDs in week 2, Best's QBs managed 1 in week 3. Fortunately Best started the right one Carolina, who doubled him up when the pass went to Muhsin Muhammad.

Fortunately for Jackson, he was playing CZ who has extended his BRFL record for losses to 100. It come at the hands of Jackson who dealt him his first ever loss. CZ got singles scores from Chicago QBs and Curtis Martin, but he hasn't been the same since blowing it out for 53 points in week 1.

As expected, the DB's easily proved themselves as the best of the class of 2000. Need more proof. How about 13th round pick Sylvester Morris catching three TDs this week. Now if they had started Morris, we'd be slapping the genius tag on them, but for now they should consider themselves the top team in a very bad division. Cracks in the facade: Skins kicker Brett Conway, a no show on Monday. Brian Griese, shoulder trouble... watch those tricky Denver injuries.

One week he's Moses Malone, next week he's Moses Moreno. Suffice to say, Brad Moses has been pretty inconsistent in his three week BRFL career. All was quiet after a 66 point outburst last week. Only kicker Jeff Wilkins, the BRFL's leader, kept up the pace with 12 points.

East Division
STROUPE         2   1   0  129  108   2   1   0  BUD,WAL
DEITRICH        2   1   0  148  118   2   1   0  WAL,OUT
WALLACE         1   2   0  117  133   1   2   0  OUT
OUTLAW          1   2   0  105  140   1   2   0  STP

                                      
Central Division                                            
                                                                                      
BARRY           3   0   0  132  112   3   0   0  BR,JK,BST
BEST            1   1   1  110  107   1   1   1  BR
RICKER          1   2   0  129  119   1   2   0  JK
JONES/KLINGMAN  0   2   1   95  128   0   2   1 

                                      
West Division                                               
                                                                                      
DAHLIN-BETHEA   2   1   0  116   97   2   1   0  CJ,BM
JACKSON         2   1   0   92   72   2   1   0  BM,CZ
MOSES           1   1   0  106   99   1   1   0  CZ
CZUPRYNA        1   2   0  103  144   1   2   0  DB

In other highlights, Rookies battle for the first time in five years and CZ and Jackson hook up for the 20th time. The old man is facing a dubious league milestone.

The prognosticator is 5-6-1 for the year after a 2-4 week. (But that's before I knew about the Moses trades).

Deitrich vs Outlaw

Wallace vs Stroupe

Indy's bye is also bad news for the "Edge" and Wallace, but Wally is a bit more full strength than his opponent. Wallace once lost four straight to Stroupe. Now he's won four straight. Make it five.

Barry vs Best

Will this be the week that Best let's Baltimore QBs start? You can;t keep five TDs on the bench forever. Carolina has a nice home game vs Atlanta. Best is 8-0-1 in his last nine games, 11-1-1 in his last 13. He is overdue for an "L". Expect Washington QBs to better Stephen Davis on Monday night and Barry to go to 3-0.

Ricker vs Jones-Klingman

One difference in Ricker this year vs the Ricker of old is that he reads the football news. This time Ricker picked up the fact that Jason Elam is injured. He did claim his replacement, Joe Nedney.

JK doesn't have much, but they have enough for this week. Marshall Faulk alone should win this game.

Moses vs Dahlin-Bethea

• 95 wk 7 Mosakowski 47 Barry 20
• 93 wk 1 Montgomery 40 Gates 27
• 91 wk 9 Peil (W) Ricker
• 90 wk 2 Talbot 25 Outlaw 24
• 90 wk 9 Stroupe 29 Outlaw 17
• 90 wk 10 Talbot 45 Stroupe 7

The Moses "makeover" should only last a week. The Jets should be a little "Jet Lagged" after their Monday night win. Meanwhile Denver is at Oakland, a game with shootout potential and that should do well for DB with Denver QBs and Ed "oh, my groin" McCaffery.

Interesting thing about this rookie battle is the winner will be winniest active team in terms of percentage. The loser will be the worst team in terms if winning percentage. DB will have the dubious bragging rights.

Jackson vs Czupryna

Sunday, September 17

• Atlanta at Carolina, 1 p.m.
• Buffalo at New York Jets, 1 p.m.
• Cincinnati at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
• Denver at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.
• Minnesota at New England, 4:15 p.m.
• New Orleans at Seattle, 4:15 p.m.
• New York Giants at Chicago 4:15 p.m.
• Philadelphia at Green Bay, 1 p.m.
• Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
• San Diego at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
• San Francisco at St. Louis, 1 p.m.
• Tampa Bay at Detroit, 1 p.m.
• Baltimore at Miami, 8:20 p.m.

Monday, September 18

• Dallas at Washington, 9 p.m.

(Open dates: Arizona, Tennessee, Indianapolis)