Weekend watchdog

The NFL probably felt very good about this week's national games - Vikings going to Green Bay Sunday night and Giants-Cowboys on Monday - until the season started.
After Sunday's meeting, the Vikings are 2-3 and the Cowboys 1-4. People will still watch them, but it's likely they won't be watching them when the playoffs start.
Hey, Cowboys, which team will be in your locker room for Super Bowl XLV?
The Redskins travel to Chicago Sunday at 1 p.m. on FOX. CBS has the doubleheader, starting with the Ravens hosting Buffalo. Most of the country will get the Patriots' visit to San Diego, another disappointing squad, at 4:15 p.m.
The baseball playoffs will have their World Series participants by Sunday night. The Rangers have two chances to put away the Yankees and reach their first-ever World Series. The teams meet Friday at 7:30 p.m. on TBS. If the Yankees win, then it's Game 7 Saturday.
The Giants led the National League series, but the Phillies forced a return to Citizens Bank Park. They play Saturday on FOX, with Game 7 if necessary Sunday night.
CBS has a college football doubleheader Saturday, thanks to Navy playing host to Notre Dame. The game kicks off at noon from the new Meadowlands, then it's an SEC shootout between LSU and Auburn.
ABC has a pair of top 25 battles in the afternoon - Wisconsin-Iowa and Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State - but ACC country will likely watch Georgia Tech's trip to Clemson. In prime time, Oklahoma takes on Missouri.
Virginia Tech seeks its sixth straight win as the ACC game of the week against Duke at noon.
ESPN2 opens the college football weekend as South Florida battles Cincinnati at 8 p.m.
Saturday at noon on ESPN it's Michigan State-Northwestern. In the evening, Alabama goes to Tennessee at 7 p.m., followed by Washington heading to Arizona.
ESPN2 has Syracuse facing West Virginia at noon, then at 7:30 p.m. it's North Carolina taking on Miami.
MASN offers a pair of games Saturday - the Big East contest between Rutgers and Pittsburgh at noon and a Big South match between Stony Brook and Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m.
Comcast has Texas taking on Iowa State at 12:30 p.m., followed by Massachusetts-New Hampshire from the Atlantic 10.
NASCAR visits the short track at Martinsville Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The Nationwide races are in the Midwest, at the Gateway track outside St. Louis, Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Capitals host Atlanta on Saturday on Comcast.
ESPN offers an NBA preseason doubleheader Friday, with the Heat facing the Magic at 7:30 p.m. and Warriors-Lakers at 10 p.m. The regular season starts Tuesday on TNT.
There's Big 10 women's volleyball Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2, with Illinois facing Minnesota.