Sports Today: Bengals get some good news, some bad while sitting idle

We’ll start off on the positive: For the second time in four weeks, the Chicago Bears did the Bengals a solid by beating an AFC North opponent in overtime.

This time it was the Baltimore Ravens, who already have a win in hand against the Bengals thanks to Cincinnati’s terrible start to the season.

Previously it was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who looked like a good bet to join the Ravens at 3-3 but instead dominated the Kansas City Chiefs late Sunday afternoon.

READ MORE: AFC North race wide open for Bengals

I had penciled that one in as a loss for the Steelers, who not only beat my expectations but also showed some major defensive chops in slowing down what's been the league's best offense so far this season.

Anything can happen any given Sunday and all, but that’s not good for the rest of the conference.

At any rate, the Bengals get their shot at the division leaders this Sunday at Heinz Field…

There was more bad news for Cincinnati when Aaron Rodgers broke his right collarbone.

Having already dealt the Bengals a loss, there was good reason to hope Green Bay could beat the Steelers and Ravens later in the season.

I suspect Brett Hundley is a competent backup given that he showed a lot of talent at UCLA and has had time to learn from Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthey, but there’s only one Rodgers…

The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Chicago Cubs 2-0 in the National League Championship Series, and they have a former Dayton Dragon to thank. 

Justin Turner hit a walk-off three-run homer Sunday night, reprising a role as postseason hero for the Reds’ old rivals.

Ten years ago, Turner was a Dragon. The 2006 seventh-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds hit .311 with 10 homers and 59 RBIs in 2007 before getting promoted to the Florida State League.

In December 2008, the Reds included Turner and another minor leaguer in a trade that sent Ryan Freel to the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Ramon Hernandez.

If I recall correctly, there were reports at the time Cincinnati felt comfortable making that deal in part because Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier had impressed them at Dayton that summer.

At any rate, Hernandez ended up being an important part of what I like to call the Renaissance Reds who won the NL Central in 2010.

The Orioles apparently weren’t too impressed with what they saw from Turner, who was placed on waivers in May 2010 and claimed by the Mets.

He didn’t have his first real breakout season until 2014 after signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, but he hit .526 in the 2015 NLDS against the Mets and .400 in last year’s NLDS against the Nationals.

This postseason, he's 9 for 21 with two homers and 10 RBIs. 
His career path is not unlike another former Reds infielders who turned out to be a late bloomer: Edwin Encarnacion, who was let go by the Toronto Blue Jays after the 2010 season before re-signing with them and finding his power stroke a year later...

In case you missed it, college football was crazy over the weekend.

There were four upsets in the Top 10, and both of the remaining undefeated teams in the Pac-12 lost.

RELATED: 5 takeaways from Week 7 in college football

Ohio State remains No. 1 in the Football Outsiders S&P+, ahead of No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Penn State.

The Buckeyes’ most recent victim, Nebraska, dropped 24 spots to 74th. (That is five spots ahead of the 2-5 Miami RedHawks in case that is of any interest to anybody.)

What’s it all mean? Ohio State made the most of its time between quality opponents, and the rest of the season should be a blast...

Meanwhile, Wittenberg crushed Allegheny to set up a first-place showdown with DePauw...

On the high school scene, three area teams lost for the first time this season (Centerville, Sidney and Clinton-Massie).

That leaves four unbeaten teams left: Belmont, Trotwood-Madison, Valley View and Marion Local.