The Washington Times registered a sweep against CBS News and Discovery Channel, pushing the Rags into first place at Burning Tree and setting up a huge day against USA Today (1-3) and AOL (2-2). The Gannetoids very badly need no less than a split of their games, even though four or five losses just three weeks into the season would not spell immediate doom for the defending champs. Still, these games are big, especially if the Times sweeps.

For perennial playoff teams such as USA Today and AOL, a pair of losses could mean looking at a wild-card chase mighty early in the season.

Nevertheless, there are big divisional games across the board, including a bodacious three-way tie among unbeatens at Veirs Mill, a tie of sluggishness at Layhill, a chance for Post.com to run away at Wheaton Forest, and really, really big testers for Atlantic Video and Team Video against Comcast SportsNet at Aspen Hill.

April 28: Week 2 was a wet mess at many fields but five of the six sites played and the result was some definition on a couple of divisional races and a day of MMSL infamy for the Express Paper, which suffered the worst defeat in league history. The record had stood for 10 years.

Team Video and Atlantic Video show they're in the playoff race going into the May 12 divisional games. . . . WRC, WTTG and the Philibusters side-by-side at Veirs Mill . . . Layhill Division is wide open for winless City Paper . . . What does The Gazette meltdown mean? . . . Will AP, Press Club and Gazette have to win divisions to gain berth? . . . Defending champs getting into a bit of a hole . . . Post.com makes nice recovery . . . and Channel 9 gets a long-needed victory.