Bengals win! Bengals win! But nobody is surprised

Believe it or not, the Bengals bandwagon was already loaded with passengers by the time the NFL's worst team began an all-out assault on the poor Texans in Week 9.  You see, the hapless Bengals had guaranteed they would finally win their first game, and most everyone in the Picks took that promise to the bank.  When the Bengals talk, people apparently listen.  That's disturbing.

Anyhow, those fired-up Cincinnati misfits were true to their word and pounded on the host Texans 38-3.  Their incredible 35-point triumph was the second-largest margin of victory in the NFL this season, topped only by the Patriots' 44-7 win over the Jets in Week 2.  Don't count those clowns out of the Super Bowl just yet!  OK, now you can.

The Texans led 3-0 before the Bengals went ballistic.  The explosion, which reportedly could be felt as far as Pennsylvania, started with a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown.  Yes, a Bengals player ran from one end zone to the other end zone in the same play!  That's more end zones than the guy has seen in the last five years.  Cincinnati improved to 1-7, and Houston dropped to 2-6.  Blaine's full voice should return by Tuesday.

D.J. and her noisy father were tied for first place heading into the late games, but Girlie recaptured the top spot in dramatic fashion when her 49ers upset his Raiders in overtime.  Her first-ever visit to first place now extends to four weeks!

The sibling rivalry between QT and Mark heated up as the uglier one beat the cuter one by two games, giving them identical 70-50 records for a third-place tie.  QT was fooled by a noon radar picture that showed clouds covering Florida.  During the game, however, the solar-powered Buccaneers were running wild in bright sun, trouncing her Vikings 38-24.  The sky clears quickly in the Sunshine State.