Guys, if i have a really good week and you guys fumble (pun definitely intended), i can wrap up the regular season. Of course, i now know that we are going all the way but you never know, so let's see. Bryant, my man, you've got to step up real big. JREM and Kenny are leaving you behind slowly. Of course, it's gonna be extra hard catch me 8), but try anyway :lol:. Of course, i'm 1-0 but as we all know, one game is a good start and that's all. It guarantees nothing so here we go. Dallas Cowboys vs Carolina Panthers - Yes, Dallas lost last week, Tony Romo was hurt, Jessica Simpson was causing "distractions", blah blah blah. Those are all excuses. The Cowboys still could've won that game. Especially those open lobs that Owens could've put away. Now that is history. Surely, the Cowboys would love home field advantage and can secure that with a win here. Cleveland Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals haven't even been able to mount a winning streak with opponents throwing third-string quarterbacks at them. If that didn't convince you enough, i give up then. The Browns, however, cannot afford to lose today. Kansas City Chiefs vs Detroit Lions - Honestly, these two teams are simply playing for pride. I am tempted to go with the Chiefs but the Lions are at home so i'm staying with them. Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts - The Colts are slotted with the second seed in the AFC. The Texans are not. Case closed. Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears - Bryant, even though your Bears suck, Brian Urlacher was such a beast last week and i'd be man enough to admit it. After only 3 mins, he already had two interceptions and he really set the tone for the game. For a while, Chicago looked like they were going to go on to win the game but then their problems showed up again - the most of which is consistency. Everything's clicking for the Packers. Their running game, a problem most of the season, is suddenly effective. The defense, particularly the front seven, is shutting down opponents. Even the special teams, led by rookie kicker Mason Crosby, have become a big plus. The Packers manhandled six of their last seven opponents, and they played the Cowboys close enough to make their potential playoff meeting a grudge match to rival Patriots-Colts. In the game of the week, expect the Packers to win by a close margin, akin to their reversal of fortunes earlier in the season. The Packers' goal for the rest of the season is to steal home field advantage. I think that's too late now but no worries. I'm afraid its yet another defeat for Chicago, Bryant. New York Giants vs Buffalo Bills - The Giants were 6-2 before their bye but are 3-3 since, and they haven't won at home since they trounced the Niners in mid-October. While they are still in prime position to earn a wild-card berth, the Giants are fading. With Jeremy Shockey out for the year, their offense is about to become even more one-dimensional. And Eli Manning is no Tom Brady. If they lose today, their wildcard hopes would be all but diminished. I like the guests here because their front four will terrorize rookie Trent Edwards and their running game will produce ample offense to topple the Bills. Whats more, the Bills have their spirits down after last week's elimination from playoff contention. It will probably be the Giants' last win of the year. Oakland Raiders vs Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jaguars have two of the best running backs in the NFL. The Raiders have the league's worst run defense, though they played well against the Colts. Expect an easy ride for the Jags here, probably the easiest they've had all season. The focus, of course, will be on their running game. Philadelphia Eagles vs New Orleans Saints - In possibly the biggest snub of the year, Drew Brees was left out of contention for the Pro Bowl. Somebody call the cops because the man was horribly burgled. JREM, no worries (yet) because you guys are still in this thing. If they win out, they'll have a 9-7 record and an 8-4 conference record, giving them a tiebreaker edge over other possible 9-7 finishers like the Redskins, Giants or Vikings. The Saints are back in the hunt because their offense is back. However, the Eagles are playing, seeming determined to salvage something from this lost season. To be honest, they're also playing for Andy Reid's job. This will be a close call, but the Saints have it all in their hands so i am sticking with them. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs San Francisco Giants - The Bucs can still earn the No. 3 seed if they win out and the Seahawks lose a game. They'll come out smoking, and the Niners offense will return to hibernation. Atlanta Falcons vs Arizona Cardinals - Just so you know, Falcons players — Arthur Blank is still accepting resignations. Similarly, the Falcons already are losers before the weekend commended by losing out Parcells to my Dolphins. Speaking of the Dolphins, see my next pick. Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots - Having won their first game of the season, the Dolphins denied the NFL, sports writers and fans the first ever 0-16 season in history. In the ultimate climax of the season (that means the meeting of the top and bottom team), expect emotions to run high and offensive ineptitude from Miami. Hey at least, us Dolphins fans can add one more tick to out Christmas wish list. Baltimore Ravens vs Seattle Seahawks - Sunday's loss to an awful Panthers team with a no-name rookie at quarterback was hardly a playoff tune-up. Blame gusty winds and cold conditions in Carolina if you like, but the Seahawks' biggest problem was a 44-yard rushing performance on a day when passing shouldn't have been the first option. I would take the Ravens but after seeing last week's performance, i'm not crazy for picking Baltimore to upset. New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans - The Titans are the AFC's only playoff outsiders, and they still have a chance to party crash if they win out. I'm fearful for this team as i want them in the playoffs but they blew it by losing that game to San Diego. The Titans then play the Colts, who are slotted as the No. 2 seed. Two wins are very possible, but it might not be enough. Washington Redskins vs Minnesota Vikings - This is the only game on the schedule that involves two potential playoff teams. The Vikings are the hottest team west of Foxboro, and they would be the sixth seed if they playoffs started today. The Vikings certainly have something to play for, and the Cowboys may well be wrapping up the No. 1 seed when the Redskins host them next week. The Redskins have had a fine late season run, but they won't be able to run against the Vikings, and their defense will be overpowered. I stand by my verdict. Denver Broncos vs San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson gained just 67 yards against the Broncos' low-impact run defense the last time the two teams met in Week 5, but that was when the Chargers were in the middle of their confidence crisis. Expect the reigning MVP to do what he wants, when he wants against the Broncos defense.
Yeah Cris, you're definitely right. I've been sitting close to the bottom of the barrel all season, and i can't get out of my funk for some reason. Time is running out on me, so i'm aiming strictly for moral victories at this point, such as bearing witness to Jrem's Saints missing the playoffs. :twisted: Misery loves company, and i want those boys seated right next to my Bears...at home. :lol: Oh well, on to my picks.... Dallas at Carolina I really don't know how Carolina upset Seattle last week with a score of 13-10. I'm not buying them against Dallas though, even though the Romo to T.O connection has been shaky at best lately. Cleveland at Cincinnati Even though Cleveland had a cake schedule coming down the stretch, i knew they would lose one of the games that they're heavily favored/supposed to win, and this is it. I think they'll lose this game somehow, someway to the terrible Bengals. Kansas City at Detroit Detroit started of so well, even sweeping my Bears in their season series, but have faded down the stretch as usual. Somebody please remind me why Matt Millen is still the GM of that team, despite selecting wide receivers in the draft for 5 straight years? lol Houston at Indianapolis The Texans are just a different team when playing in the dome, as opposed to playing outdoors. Sage Rosenfels is playing really well, and the Colts don't have anything left to play for, as they have the number 2 seed locked up for the playoffs. I'm seriously picking Houston in the upset here, as i like Mario Williams (a.k.a. "Super Mario") coming off of that edge for all those sacks. That guy is a BEAST. Green Bay at Chicago The Bears are totally done, and have been done dating all the way back to the Giants game that they TOTALLY blew. Orton is the starting qb, our offensive line is HORRIBLE, and Ron Turner the OC, is the most incompetent coordinator i've ever seen in my entire life. Running little 5'6" 160 lb Garrett Wolfe up the gut on the 1 yard line against the best run stuffing team in the league, should be enough to get him fired. The Packers should win easy here. NY Giants at Buffalo I like the Bills to win this game, simply because Eli Manning is not going to get it done in the cold. His accuracy is iffy at best, and Shockey is out for the season. The Bills should have enough to win this game. Oakland at Jacksonville The Raiders are going to get "Ran-On" this entire ballgame. I'm predicting ummm....about 250 rushing yards for Jacksonville? yeah, that sounds about right. Philadelphia at New Orleans I liked the way Philly beat Dallas last week. That was a very impressive victory on the road in a hostile environment. If they could stop Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and Terrell Owens, i'm pretty sure they can stop Drew Brees and Marques Colston. I like the Iggles and their resurgent defense to come alive and win here, granting my wish, and keeping the Saints out of the playoffs. :twisted: Tampa Bay at San Francisco The Bucs should win this game. Enough said.... :smt015 Atlanta at Arizona Again.... :smt015 Miami at New England If the Jets could hang in there with New England last week in the snow, anybody can, including the Dolphins. I think the Pats will win, but because they're getting everybodies best shot, those wins are going to be hard fought. But what boggles my mind is why the Patriots think they even need a running game at all? Nobody has been able to stop the short passing game all year, so why force feed Maroney? I say you stick with what's working for you, and use the pass as your running game, because i don't like Maroney all that much. I hope they draft Darren McFadden next year. Baltimore at Seattle How could Seattle lose to the hapless Panthers? There really is no explanation for that one. I think Baltimore is mailing it in for the season, so the Seahawks should win this one at home. NY Jets at Tennessee The Titans are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that others teams will open the door for them to slip into the final wild card spot. I don't think it's going to happen, but that won't stop them from absolutely destroying the Jets this week. Washington at Minnesota The Vikings were "extremely" shaky against a terrible Bears team last week. I think they're ripe for the picking, and will lay an egg. I'm picking the Redskins to upset them at home this week. Denver at San Diego I think Denver is done. They're finished for the year, and have nothing left to play for but pride. I think the Chargers will come away with this victory, even though i still don't think they're an elite team yet.
Okay, lets do this. I need to stay in this race and take my number one spot back so these are very careful well thought out picks, I couldn't even concentrate that much at work I was so focused on my game plan. DAL over CAR - Tony Romo doesn't have consistent bad games, carolina's defense is no way jim jonhson's defense. Lets give Jim Johnson credit he took out the patriots offense, A.J. Feeley kept letting them back in the game. CIN over CLE - Cincinnati will be able to beat them the second time around because cleveland is going to walk into a trap game, thinking because their record bad they will underestimate for the fact winning is new territory for cleveland they aren't gonna be aware that divisional games around this time are tougher the second time around. DET over KC - Offensive game, but lions are at home when they perform very well at of course. Performing well CAN! beat KC. Indy over HOU - Colts are in the zone and they want that second round bye. Like LC says...Case Closed. GB over CHI - They will win because the got beat second time around and that is going to be on their minds going into the game. NYG over BUF - They need a win, They usually get it this time around and go into the playoffs and lose like always. JAC over OAK - Oakland are not going to get beat up by them though it will be tough, because they have a power running game and CONSISTENT good defense over there, unlike the burgh. PHIL over NO - Thier playoff chances are going, going gone, I don't think they would be able to handle that defense enough to score alot of points. TB over SF - This is so tough because bad teams usually play good around this time, but TB's defense is coming on way too strong to lose. ARZ over ATL - They have no leader right now to lead them into the fight, they are not even trying over there and Im not only talking about the players. NE over MIA - Trap game, Trap game. Brady lost three years in a row to miami second time around. They are not performing like they once did. BUT!! Patriots know how to win, and one win still means dolphins know how to lose. Lets also remember that MIA-BAL game was a gift from Billick. BAL over SEA - It will come down to passing and I know that seahawks have the mor eexperienced QB, but I feel like this going to be the break out game for Troy Smith and wake billick up for his future quarterback. TEN over NYJ - Tennessee runs to well for the jets to answer them. They couldn't even answer the patriots so-called run game that has been absent for alot fo the season. MIN over WSH - Vikings are on a roll, slipped in their passing game last week a little bit, but their confidence is up. SD over DEN - SD is on too much of an roll for denver to handle and looks like Ladanian is going to get the rushing title again, because willie parker got hurt as we all know, which is still tough to deal with, because he does have some story, undrafted, superbowl ring & record, three seasons rushing for over a thousand, steelers rushing record in a game, and was on his way to a rushing title, still tough for us steeler fans.
Yet another tense week. I've ran through everyone's performance and it seems you all did well. Everyone went 10-5 except for me. I went 9-6. Kinda worrying but it's all good. I'm 2-0 up from Thurs and Sat so that's a relief. Let's do the review...... Clinton Portis was the reason why Washington beat Minnesota. He rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown. What's more, he completed a 15 yard pass to Antwaan Randle El to complete a 10 play, 80 yard drive. This game was very surprising in that 'Kings were expected to dominate and surge through their playoff run but it wasn't to be. They were shut out of their running game and went to the air. I kinda saw this coming when i checked the scores because Washington are very good at stopping the run. Good luck to them. 2-1 Had the Titans lost to the Jets, their playoff hopes would have been all but lost. This game was all defense, as the scoreline suggests. Chad Pennington was sacked six times and threw two picks. Now i know Pennington is shook but you can't knock the Titans' hustle. Offensively, they leave much to be desired but they bring their "A" game on defense. And that's why they still have a chance to make that playoffs. 3-1 Honestly, there isn't anything in football that gets me more than a team blowing their chances to get into the playoffs when those chances are already limited. By losing to Cincinnati, the Browns made things really complicated for me i've lost track of who can still make the wildcard and who can't. If only Derek Anderson's receivers had picked up his last second end zone pass....... The Bengals' 25th-ranked pass defense picked off Anderson four times and the offense turned those turnovers into 13 quick points. Unbelievably disgusting!!! 3-2 Having been embarassed by Carolina's fourth string QB last weekend, i thought Seattle would embarass themselves again at home to Baltimore. And i was wrong!!! They completely annihilated the already downtrodden Ravens. This one was pretty much over by the end of the first half. Shaun Alexander put up his best numbers so far this season - even though he's spent the most part of this campaign in the hospital. He rushed for 73 yards and led his team to over 100 yards against the Ravens, making them only the third team this year to do so against a Ray Lewis led defense. 3-3 The Lions snapped a six-game skid by defeating the Chiefs. RB T.J Ruckett rushed for 102 yards and linebacker Paris Lenon had a 61 yard interception return to their teams 19-0. By then, the game was over but the Chiefs did not go down easy. Led by "star" QB, Damon Huard completed 24 of 36 passes and two touchdown passes to make the game ending a close affair but the Lions' first half hard work paid off as they sat on the rest of the minutes to win the game. 4-3 Did y'all know that against the Texans, Peyton Manning has the best ratings for any QB against one team - he has a 125.4 passer rating. No wonder he was just hitting pass after pass. I tell you, Pats fans, Indy are still to be feared; don't get your draws wet yet just because you beat them early in the season. 5-3 Jesus, what happened to the Packers? Or should i say what didn't happen to them? They botched a snap and somehow had two punts blocked. Oh, and did i mention that Brett Favre finished with two picks? Man!!! So that means that Dallas have won home field advantage throughout the divisional playoffs. Yikes!!! Bryant, i bet you're somewhere pissing yourself. j/k. 5-4 Play of the Week definitely belongs to rookie RB Ahmad Bradshaw. He broke off an 88 yard touchdown run to get the opposing fans back into their seats. I was loving that move i had to watch it over and over again. In addition to two INTs, Eli Manning had five fumbles. Seriously, anybody who defends this guy near me again is getting a pimp slap. However, on the bright side, the Giants made the playoffs. It doesn't matter anyway because they will be bounced right back out. :lol: 6-4 Listen up Patriots fans, the Jags are the team to be feared. They've been slept on for the entire season but they're the one team who really can stop New England. Deion Sanders was right, if there is any team out there who can beat the Patriots convincingly, it's them. They have a very balanced offense and an underrated defense. New England are not that good at stopping the run and cannot run themselves, which is where their weakness lies. The Jags, on the other hand, are an excellent running team who also can stop the run. They proved that against Oakland. Fred Taylor rushed for 111 yards and Maurice Jones-Drew added 96 yards to cap a brilliant offensive game. David Garrard also did his thing, tossing a number of TDs. Honestly, Bill Belichick should take care and get his defensive team on overtime. 7-4 McNabb!!! McNabb!!! McNabb!!! Admittedly, i've been his harshest critic on this board but gotta give credit when its due. He rushed for 40 yards to go along with his 263 yards passing and three touchdowns. I still don't think it'll be enough to push them into the playoffs but a good game is a good game nonetheless. Unpack your stuff, JREM, coz it looks like the Saints missed that playoff flight. :lol: :lol: 7-5 Bryant Young announced at the end of the Buccaneers/49ers game that he was retiring so i guess i'm not mad after all that the Bucs lost to give him a perfect career-ending story at home. But still, the Niners are 5-10 for Christ's sakes. :roll: 7-6 The Falcons must really be looking forward to the lottery. :lol: :lol: 8-6 Said Miami coach Cam Cameron, "I never felt they were playing for the records. They understand what's important". Tell me why i'm not buying that. Oh that's right, because its bullshit. The Pats are just as psyched as everyone is that they can become the first team since the 1972 Dolphins to go undefeated. If they can also win their next four games, they can also become the first team since the same '72 Dolphins to begin and end the football season undefeated. As easy as that sounds, the road is a lot more bumpier than it suggests. The Pats have met a few hurdles so far this season but it's about to get scarier. I believe they can make that 16-0 record and beat the Minnesota Vikings' single-season record of 556 set in 1998. Tom Brady is one touchdown away from Peyton Manning's record of 49 TD passes and tied with Dan Marino's record in 1984. Randy Moss on the other hand needs one TD reception to tie Jerry Rice's record of 22 in 12 games set in 1987. Nice job Randy, but you're not Jerry Rice. And that ain't a stab at the man. 9-6 It looks like Santa Claus forgot me for this week. Oh well, at least i've received the best gifts one can ask for. My Dolphins have finally won, my family is here with me, my dad bought me a new car, i got a pay rise, a number of gifts are waiting under the tree for me and most importantly, my fiancee gave birth to my beautiful twin children. I couldn't ask for more and this is surely my most memorable Christmas. I've said that many times before but this time, it's for good. If i can have a better Christmas, i'll be even more thrilled. God is good!!! As this is my last post before Christmas Day, i want to wish Bryant, JREM, Kenny, Wedlock and everybody else on the board a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope you all got the gifts you wanted and you're all having a wonderful time. Eat, drink and be merry because that is what the holidays are for. Just get ready to go to the gym by early January though. :lol: Take care, people.
Hey Cris, actually i went 11-4 so far. With my losses being Houston, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, and Buffalo. If San Diego beats Denver, i'll finish 12-4 for the week. Happy Holidays to all you guys as well. 8)
Hey guys, merry Christmas to you all...I went 12 and 4 like Bryant...so it looks like I'm back within 4 games of Cris for the lead...hmmm...sounds like the regular season will belong to you Cris... Guys how about we start a new thread right after the regular season is over, just for the playoffs? that could be fun...that way we'll have a reg. season champ and a postseason champ...by the way did one of u already suggest that? can't remember!!! Kenny post your score and I'll put the updated records for all of us!! Peace
Alright guys...Bryant and I went 12-4...Kenny went 11-5 and Cris (for once ) went last at 10-6 Here are the records going into the last week of the regular season (last week in parentheses) Cris: 142-82 (132-76) JREM: 138-86 (126-82) Kenny: 135-89 (124-84) Bry: 132-92 (120-88 ) For a total of 224 games picked so far Cris has a 4 games lead on me, 7 games lead on Kenny and a 10 games lead on Bry...Hmmm...can I catch him?? I doubt it but you never know...the last week is whacky bcoz of all the teams resting starters and all... Peace!!!
Hey Jrem, thanks for updating the scores all season my man. You guys have all helped to make this thread great. If this isn't an annual thing from here on out, i'll be extremely upset. How's your vacation going anyway? By the way, i thought about your idea of creating a separate thread for the postseason, and looking at our records, you're only 4 games behind Cris, so if you finish this last week strong, and beat us all in the postseason, you could potentially finish up in first place. I'm mathematically out of it, but you still have a chance Jrem. I think we should keep going all the way to the superbowl, just to give guys a few more chances to catch Cris, and put an end to his reign at the top. Sorry Cris, we're all gunning for you man.
Week 17 ....... the last week of the regular season Ah yes, the regular season has come to a grinding end. This year, we have seen the ups and downs of the NFL world. From the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning finally stepping up in the big games to the dogfighting scandal that brought Michael Vick's fall from grace, the 2007 season has been a memorable one with the New England Patriots looking to do the ultimate and end the season 19-0. Let's hope that the playoffs would live up to the hype and be one of the most exciting in recent years. Our final regular season picks are about to begin. I would love to end the regular season on a high so that i can be in pole position for the playoffs. JREM, you're going down :lol: :lol: (of course, you know this is all friendly 8) ) So here we go ......... Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons - Even though Seattle have locked up the 3rd seed in the NFC and therefore this game is academical for them, i still pick them to win. I presume they will rest their starters, but the Falcons have been awful this season. (of course a lot of their failure has been because of the loss of their star player). Right now, everyone on the Falcons' payroll is auditioning for a job so they better work hard. New Orleans Saints vs Chicago Bears - Based on the way they played last week (at home for that matter), the not-so-holy Saints don't deserve to be playing in January. Whats more, they've had one turnover in 16 gams this season. Brian Urlacher is the man right now as he's picked 3 interceptions in the past 4 games. I personally want the Saints in the playoffs - despite JREM being my closest rival - so i hope they can win against a disappointing Bears team. Cincinnati Bengals vs Miami Dolphins - And to think, we could have been hoping on another milestone - the first team to go 0-16 :lol:. Seriously, my Dolphins have been everyone's bonus this season :lol:. Hopefully, Bill Parcells will shake things up - which i am confident he will do. Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers - Brett Favre looked so sorry as hell against Chicago, even for a player of his caliber. Honestly, i get the feeling that the Packers, and not the Cowboys, will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans - Mayne, i can't believe that not one single Jaguar was voted into the Pro Bowl. But to be fair, Maurice Jones-Drew would have gone if he didn't split the RB vote with Fred Taylor. Whatever!!! However, there seems to be overall consensus that they are the team with the capability to beat the Pats. Honestly, no one wants to face this team because they are unbelievably dangerous. Depending on the results, they could be going to Pittsburgh or San Diego on wildcard weekend. Oh, i'm so looking forward to that. Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Somehow i'm getting that pre-game mind buzz that TB will fuck this one up but i'm staying with them anyhow. Thanks to a rejuvenated Jeff Garcia and a seemingly ageless Joey Galloway, the Bucs have wounded up in the postseason. However, here's where you seperate the youth from the seniors. As much as i respect the two 30-something stars, they can't do it alone and the schedule will afford fewer favors. However, i'm happy with a home win here. Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles - You know, now that i look at it in perspective, Donovan McNabb hasn't had as bad a season as people think. He's had 18 TDs and 6 interceptions which isn't bad considering his health all season. Another home win here. Trent Edwards still needs to learn a thing or two about handling a pass rush. The Bills lack playmakers on defense and given the time and space, McNabb is as good as any other QB in throwing that ball. On a sidenote, i feel that the time has come for Donovan to move on. It's kind of a "too little, too late" affair for them. Ever since that fateful Super Bowl to New England in 2005, they haven't been able to do much. McNabb's injuries aren't helping and he doesn't seem to be happy in Philadelphia (but then again, what Philly superstar doesn't get that feeling?) I believe that if he goes to Carolina and hooks up with Steve Smith, they can contend in the NFC. San Francisco 49ers vs Cleveland Browns - A week ago, the Browns had the chance to win the AFC North. In a sudden reversal of fortunes, they are fighting for their January lives after losing to the Bengals last weekend. The Browns have had a rollercoaster season, scribbling unlikely wins and embarassing themselves occasionally, but they cannot afford to sulk against a Niners team looking to play for pride. Patrick Willis will be looking to bolster his ROY (Rookie of the Year) credentials. Yet another home win here, but my optimism is guarded. Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens - Willie Parker's broken ankle is bad news, but the Steelers' defensive woes are even more problematic. Davenport is a good runner and decent receiver, so he can cover adequately for Parker, but you cannot replace a whole defense. A lot of times, they pick the wrong defensive schemes and end up exposing their weaknesses. I am confident the Steelers can pull away a road "W" here but their defensive co-ordinator ought to refill his "overtime" tank. Their January success depends on how well (or bad) they stop the passes. San Diego Chargers vs Oakland Raiders - The Chargers will wrap up the #3 seed with a win on their trip up north. And surely, they'd be able to do that. Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins - A month ago, this team were wrapped in their internal miseries and it didn't start with the Sean Taylor tragedy. They were below .500, losing close games and they lost one of their star players. Then Todd Collins happened. He came off the bench to do his best Jeff Garcia impression. Whats more, they've done their best to stop superb running teams and improved their own already fantastic rushing game. Not to take anything from the Redskins as they have been suprisingly brilliant in the past few games, but their opponents have been almost identical in that they have mistake prone quarterbacks in Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, Tarvaris Jackson and Eli Manning. Besides, just because Dallas have wrapped up the NFC doesn't mean they don't have nothing to play for. They hate the Redskins and will be looking to hurt their playoff campaign. I expect a gritty, hard fought Washington win but that's a gamble. I might change my pick later but for now, all hope isn't lost in FedEx Field. St Louis Rams vs Arizona Cardinals - Ken Whisehunt as solidified his reputation as an offensive guru as the Cardinals are averagin 23.7 points a game and have scored 30 or more at least five times. But on the defensive end, it's not all rosy. They've been giving up too much yards and it has cost them badly. They'd be looking to end the season with a .500 record and here's hoping they would make some brilliant offseason moves. Minnesota Vikings vs Denver Broncos - Like i expressed in Monday's review, nothing gets me in football more than teams who do not understand the phrase "control your own destiny". Because of last week's home defeat, the Vikings must win here and hope Washington lose to Dallas. But a Vikings win is very much possible (and likely). The Vikings have Chester Taylor and of course Adrian Peterson. Even so, the Broncos' run defense is laughable. I'd rather see this team than New Orleans or Washington square up against Seattle in the first round. Kansa City Chiefs vs New York Jets - Ah, gee!!!!! Tennessee Titans vs Indianapolis Colts - The Titans looked like they would crack the top 6 in the AFC until Albert Haynesworth went down. Sure, they've won some but they were against second string opponents like the Jets and Texans. Even if No.18 is napping up on the sidelines, the Titans know they have a game on their hands. However, don't expect them to just roll over and beg just like that. The last these two played in Week 2, the game was decided by two points. It'd be tough, but the Titans will give Indy their second home loss of the season. And now, for the moment we've all been waiting for, i bring to you......... NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs New York Giants - As you probably noticed, i printed their name in large and bold fonts and for good reason. They've been second to none this year and whilst they've looked like they would crack in some tense moments, they've pulled through and dodged major bullets and that's the heart of a champion. Tough times are what seperate major contenders from wannabes, when you don't play your best but do enough to emerge victorious. Now, before i analyze, let's look at what the Pats aim to do tomorrow evening: - Randy Moss sets the new record for most receiving TD passes - Tom Brady beats Peyton Manning's TD passing mark with 50 - The Patriots set the record for single season record of most points - Most importantly, the Patriots become the first team since the 1972 Dolphins to go undefeated for the entire season. I would talk about that team but as you can probably guess, i wasn't alive and have only seen and heard all i know about them. The Giants aren't expected to rest their starters, but the Pats haven't shown much interest in doing that either (although that might backfire). I applaud the NFL for choosing to simulcast the game on the big networks. Initially, they wanted to show it only on the NFL network (a scheme to make some major dough, no doubt) but ain't nobody buying that shit. The Pats will be crowned in North Jersey. The Meadowlands crowd will give them a standing ovation, just as Orange Bowl fans cheered Unitas. Fans of the old Dolphins should use this opportunity to celebrate the memory of a great team, not curse the youngsters who dared to match their accomplishments.
Well here we go, final games of the season before the playoffs. So lets start off with the historical game. Remember everybody some teams are resting their players so choose wisely. NE over NYG - If you listened to thier interviews as of late, they want this and if the Giants are smart they would at least rest the players that has been battling inuries, I understand wanting to play spoilers but your ass is in the playoffs, a chance at the superbowl title is more important. SEA over ATL - Seattle isn't the resting type so they should come out with a will to want to win, but atlanta couldn't beat a college team of freshmen right now. NO over CHI - New Orleans will fight to win this game because they are confusingly still in it, it's a longshot but to them it's now or never. CIN over MIA - Cincy is going to try to end on a good note, they have the weapons to do just that. Just need to wake up. GB over DET - Greenbay needs to win this game to go into the playoffs on a winning note after that self destruction they had against the bears. I would want a win after that. JAC over HOU - Jacksonville expected to play their players through the first half but that should be enough to win against the lowly texans. CAR over TB - TB is resting their players, but they also rested them last week....Bad strategy it's looking like to me. PHI over BUF - Philly ends it on a good note 3 in a row is avery good note. SF over CLE - I think cleveland's self destruction continues, because SF is playing good, not great, but good enough to give cleveland a game. PIT over BAL - Only Big Ben is sitting this one out, and normally I would say baltimore wins but charlie batch is the best backup QB in the NFL. And plus like I said ben is the only one sitting this out. SD over OAK - SD is staying on the winning role they have to, it was too much of an scary season for them. WSH over DAL - Dallas is resting it's starters not to mention Romo & Owens is healing, so washington will make it's bid for that Sixth Playoff spot in the NFC wildcard. ARZ over STL - Arizona is a here and there team, but for some reason I see them being on their game this final week. MIN over DEN - Contenders vs Spoilers. But minnesota is a little to tough for denver to handle especially in the running game, so they make their bid as well even though I think washington wraps it up with a win. KC over NYJ - Battle of the former one-hitter-quitter playoff teams of last year. KC gets it they are little better on offense, they can umm.....SCORE! TEN over Indy - It never fells everytime indy rest players they lose the game. Tennessee gets into the playoffs.
This week is going to be tough because there's a thin line as far as who is resting/starting their players, how much time they'll be given on the field, who wants to end their season on a good note compared to those who want nothing more than to tank and get a good draft pick, etc.... Even though some of these games look like "gimmes" or so to speak, i think a lot of the really bad teams are going to come out with victories this week. Okay, let me see if i can finish this last week strong and hope for the best going into the post-season. New England at NY Giants The first thing i wanted to do before picking this game, was figure out what the forecast was going to be. From what i've seen all season, the only thing that can stop this Patriots offense is weather, and off throwing days from Brady. Tom Brady sometimes goes into these modes where he can't hit the broad side of a barn. It's unexplainable. Anyway, the Giants are never really good at home, but they'll be pumped to play this game. I think the Patriots play better during their biggest games though (ala against Pittsburgh and Dallas) so i'm expecting a close game up until the third quarter, where it will eventually get out of hand and turn into a rout. The Giants defense will put up a fight, but Eli Manning is just not up to the challenge. Congrats in advance on the perfect season New England!...that is such an UNBELIEVABLE accomplishment!! Seattle at Atlanta The Seahawks are already locked into their number 3 seed, and pretty much have nothing to play for. However, i think the Seahawks backup players (Seneca Wallace at qb, and Mo Morris at running back) are better than whatever starters Atlanta has on the field. New Orleans at Chicago hmmmm....Jrem, your team isn't out of it yet unfortunately, but they'll need a win + luck to get in. This is also a chance for redemption, as they were crushed by my Teddy Bears last season. Our defense came alive last week, and absolutely killed the Packers, which is something that i was NOT expecting to happen, but i'm glad it did. I think the Packers are a much better team than the Saints, and if Kyle Orton can play mistake free football for one more week, i think we can get the win against Nawlins. Cincinnati at Miami The Bengals are playing for pride, and so are the Dolphins. The only problem for Miami is the fact that all their skill players are terrible. The only playmaker to speak of on the field is the 30 something year old Jason Taylor. I hope Parcells blows that whole thing up and starts over. Bengals should win. Detroit at GreenBay I think Green Bay wants to get that sour taste of defeat out of their mouths, so it should be a Packer win here. Jacksonville at Houston The Texans have won 2 out of the last 3 against Jacksonville, and don't ask me how. The Jags are locked into the 5th seed in the AFC, so i don't know how much they're going to play their guys. Assuming they don't play them the whole game, i think there's a huge drop off from David Garrard to Quinn Gray, so i'm picking Houston in the upset here. Carolina at Tampa Bay It pretty much boils down to me liking Luke McCown a little more than i like Matt Moore, the quarterback for the Panthers. Jeff Garcia isn't going to play, we all know that. So i'm picking Tampa Bay here. Buffalo at Philadelphia The Eagles are playing good football right now, and will finish the season on a good note with another win. San Francisco at Cleveland The Browns can still get in if the Titans lose, so they're going to go all out and play hard like there's no tomorrow. The Niners still stink. Cleveland should win here. Pittsburgh at Baltimore Kenny is right...Charlie Batch is one of the more competent backups in the league. He should do fine. Baltimore is too banged up to make this one competitive. San Diego at Oakland The Chargers should win here, enough said. Dallas at Washington hmmm....wasn't i the only one who picked the Redskins to beat those flukey Vikings last week? lol The Vikings are good, but they're not ready yet. Tarvaris Jackson is just too raw. He needs work before they'll be competitive. Sorry Jrem, the Redskins will beat the boys and get that final wild card spot over your Saints. St. Louis at Arizona The Rams got pounded by the Steelers last week, but as long as they have Stephen Jackson in the backfield, and Marc Bulger and Tory Holt, they have a chance to beat anybody. I'm picking the Rams in the upset here. Minnesota at Denver ohhh boy...Denver is in a little bit of trouble here, as they cannot stop the run to save their lives. AP just might break his original record in this game. The Vikings aren't going to the playoffs, but i do think they'll win here, despite Tarvaris Jacksons struggles. Quite frankly, they won't need him to pass in this game. Kansas City at NY Jets The Jets aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and neither are the Chiefs, but the Chiefs have the better coach, and the better skill players. They also rank 6th against the pass, not to mention Jared Allen the beast coming off the edge for all those sacks. Chiefs should win this game. Tennessee at Indianapolis It's as simple as this: The Colts will play their starters the first half, and pull them in the second. Because of this, the Titans will hang around and win in the end. This is how it all "should" play out, so hopefully i'm not wrong. If it does play out like this, congrats in advance Tennessee. You took care of your business and got in, unlike the Browns who completely choked last week lol.
Guys, even though I said that the Pats would go 16 and 0, yesterday I was in the countryside of France (a little beautiful city called Fourneville, in Normandy)...no web, so I couldn't post my pick for the first game...so by rule I'm 0 and 1... I'll try to catch up with the rest of my picks...but MAN, the Pats are AMAZING...just watched the highlights on NFL.com/live...AMAZING!!!...I hope, they win it all!!! My vacation in France are going great...visiting family, friends, enjoying the good food and the very very pretty sights (girls and places) Alright let's go for the picks: Seattle at Atlanta: Nothing to play for, as far as the Hawks are concerned! New Orleans at Chicago: Saints have everything to play for...well, ok, mostly pride...they win it!!! San Francisco at Cleveland: Browns still have shot, they'll soundly beat the Niners Detroit at Green Bay: Packers laid an egg in Chicago, they might wanna go in the postseason with some momentum Jacksonville at Houston: Nothing to play for if u are the Jags...Houston wins Cincinnati at Miami: How does 1 and 15 sound Dolphins' fans? Buffalo at Philadelphia: Eagles are on a roll Carolina at Tampa Bay: Bucs rest starters, Panthers win Pittsburgh at Baltimore: Ravens couldn't beat a drum if they wanted to Dallas at Washington: Cowboys hate Redskins, they'll spoil their playoff push St Louis at Arizona: Yawwwwn...Arizona at home Minnesota at Denver: Vikings get the wild-card spot San Diego at Oakland: Raiders are already in the off-season KC at NY Jets: Yawwwwwwwwwwn...KC on the road!!! Tennessee at Indianapolis: Colts still win at home
Hey guys, it's thursday, so only 2 days until wild card weekend. I went 10-6 with last weeks picks. How did u guys do? Few observations from the season: Jrem, it must feel terrible for your Saints that they've had both of their last 2 seasons ended by my Teddy Gummy Bears LOL. Jacksonville was once underrated, but is now being overrated by everybody in the country. They're going to lose in the first round to the Steelers. Brian Billick probably wouldn't have gotten fired if he didn't blow it against the hapless Dolphins. Derek Anderson is overrated, and not worth a first round pick, so foggettaboutit....i'd rather eat my vegetables than see him in a Bears uni next season lol. We want Rex!! by the way, i'll have my wildcard picks in tomorrow. 8)
Alright guys...the regular season is over...in week 17, Bryant and Cris both went 10 and 6 Kenny and I went 9 and 7...so it's almots the status quo... However, here are the awards and final regular season standings: Cris: 152-88 (142-82) JREM: 147-93 (138-86) Kenny: 144-96 (135-89) Bry: 142-98 (132-92) Laydeezmancris, 2007 WWBM NFL PICKS REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION!!! Hehehe...as you can see, I hd a little bit of fun with my friend Bryant the Chi Bear...and we are going to Chicago again next season...NOoooooo!!! they are becoming your Nemesis!!! Alright guys, on to the Postseason...what do you guys say that we start anew for the postseason so we can have a Postseason champ as well??!!! I'll post my picks a little later
Well, well, well Look who's the MVP of the board ........... Okay, fine i won't gloat, but i'm sure glad as hell to win. And to think, i was last at the beginning. Now that's what i call "clutch". Sure, let's start a postseason one as well. It makes sense, anyway. If there's a regular season MVP, then there should be a postseason award as well. Now here's my preview and picks. ___________________________________________________________ Imagine a week without Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Terrell Owens and Tony Romo. Okay relax, they aren't all hurt. It's only wild-card weekend. It will be full of suprises, upset and trashings. So enjoy. Washington Redskins vs Seattle Seahawks - These two teams are similar in that they have no glaringly obvious weakness (or strength). Matt Hasselbeck, on a good day, is among the elite QBs in the NFC but then again, how many are there in the NFC? About two or three. Jason Campbell is good but not consistent enough. Moreover, he does not fit into Joe Gibbs' offensive strategy. But to be fair, both sides have done their homework coming into the postseason. The Redskins overcame the untimely loss of their superstar defender and injury to Jason Campbell to win their last four games. The Seahawks really had qualified ever since Thanksgiving period. But its one thing to get to the playoffs and its another to win games when you get there. Neither team exactly has an impressive resume. The Redskins beat the Cowboys last weekend, but tell me, did any regulars start? No. The Seahawks opened the season by beating the Bucs but spent four months swimming in the "loser" pool with the Niners, Cardinals and Rams. As for the pick, well, the Seahawks are at home, are somewhat healthier and are the superior team. Expect a lot of fullback dives, screens and long bombs to Santana Moss from Todd Collins. The Seahawks are good at stopping the run, and their receivers are better. Expect a Seahawks home win by at least a touchdown, but that doesn't mean that they are marching off to the Super Bowl. Jacksonville Jaguars vs Pittsburgh Steelers - Seriously, when did it become fashionable to bash the Steelers? I thought they were the NFL's last great hope in the regular season? Sheesh. On a more serious note, if the Pats are the best in the AFC, the Colts second, then who is third? (Hint: it's not the Steelers). I say the Jaguars. Of course, conventional wisdom dictates the Chargers, but amidst their conference crisis (you know, the one where they started 5-5), they can't claim that place yet. Besides, they played an awful lot of Raiders, Lions and Broncos in their hot streak. Ideally, one would say the Steelers but they have lost to easy opponents like the Jets, Broncos, Bengals and the Cardinals. I can't forget that Bengals loss at all. Of course, they blamed it on bad weather and bad play-calling but it was clear - they weren't all that good. They rank second in the NFL in Variance, a stat that measures how unpredictable a team is from week to week (the Broncos ranked first). The Jags beat San Diego in Week 11 and the Steelers in Week 15. The Jags have defeated playoff teams, won the games they should have won and haven't been heavily defeated since Week 9 when David Garrard was hurt and the Saints capped on them. They are an exceptional running team, whose defense somehow goes unnoticed. David Garrard has added a new passing dimension to the Maurice Jones Drew - Fred Taylor attack. Even better, they're getting healthier. Defensive end Reggie Heyward is getting healthier as is linemate Paul Spicer. At full strength, this team can beat 29 of the other 31 teams in the league - and yes, that includes the Patriots. This would a hard fought, but deserved road win for the Jags. New York Giants vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The Giants put in a brilliant, emotional yet pointless effort to knock the Pats off their undefeated pedestal. But that might backfire. Ask the Ravens. After a gruelling, fight-to-the-end defeat to the Pats, they were smoked the next week by the Colts. All of a sudde, some people believe Eli Manning can be counted on against a good opponent. Well, good luck but Manning has had his worst season yet. Whats more, the Giants lost cornerback Sam Madison, center Shaun O'Hara and linebacker Kawika Mitchell. All three are significant losses for them. The Buccaneers have been one of the suprise packages of the year (although they had a soft schedule), and have built a solid team with a rejuvenated Jeff Garcia and a young but smart defensive package. Sunday's matchup boils down to a simple trench battle: the Bucs offensive line versus the Giants' exceptional defensive line. The Bucs' young blockers have been a pleasant surprise this season. Last year, the team drafted guard Davin Joseph and tackle Jeremy Trueblood, tossed them into the lineup, and watched Julius Peppers use them as yoga mats. When its all said and done, the worn out Giants will be left to lick their wounds from last week's impressive but rather unnecessary risk of their top players. Tennessee Titans vs San Diego Chargers - If the Jaguars are the playoff team without any Pro Bowlers, then the Titans are the playoff team without any personality. Vince Young's image may grace every game box in the nation but his 2,500-yard, nine-touchdown, 17-interception season didn't produce many highlights or propel the Titans into the playoffs. The Titans' first obstacle in the playoffs is a Chargers' team whose victory over them is still fresh in the mind. The Titans' defense hung touch in that game - it took an overtime rushing TD for the Chargers to win - but Vince Young couldn't do anything on offense. It was a knuckleduster of a game filled with big hits and sacks: Vanden Bosch had three sacks, San Diego's Shawne Merriman added two. Sunday will be another slugfest. The Titans have plenty of hitters in Keith Bulluck, Albert Haynesworth, Chris Hope, Vanden Bosch etc. The Chargers have Merriman and company, and they developed a boxer's mentality during their six-game winning streak. They know how to hang in there, and that will make the difference.
Congratulations Cris, you creamed us fair and square, and earned the title as best picker for the 2007 season! And yeah, what makes us all look even worse is how you started off late. :lol: You can have your trophy now Cris, but next season, i'm gunnin for ya man. I'm gonna try to avoid my meltdown weeks at all costs...you know, those weeks when i end up going something like 5-11 or 6-10. :lol: So enjoy it while it lasts man!! Okay, you guys are right. Cris is the regular season champ, and now that the postseason is starting, we can crown a post season champ too. But man, if Cris wins them both, i just don't know what i'll do lol. I need a consolation prize in the worst way, so i'm gonna try and bring home this little small trophy. If you guys don't mind, i think we should just continue with the picks in this thread. Webmaster already stickied it, so we might as well keep using it right.
hahaha...Jrem, how tough is that for your Saints man!! that they have to come into Soldier Field for the 3rd year in a row!! i thought it was a misprint at first, but sure enough, those domies are coming back into the cold, wintry Soldier Field. Man it's gonna be sweet knocking you guys out of the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row, but if we can't do that, a great consolation prize would definitely come in the form of ending Reggie Bush's season again lol. :twisted: I need to do a little more research on the games....so i'll be back in a couple hours with my picks.
Hey Bryant...sooner or later, my Saints will come up there in the cold-ugly soldier field and knock Devin Hester's helmet off...and maybe his head along! By the way what do you mean by "the webmaster stickied the thread" ? Alright folks, here are my wild-card week-end picks...get ready...a new champ has arrived...and his name is NOT CRIS!!! Washington at Seattle: Honestly, I believe that these are two mediocre teams...Seattle plays in a soft to weak division, and was convincingly blasted at home by the Saints who weren't a very consistent team this season...the Redskins looked good at times, but never really showed any kind of dominance on the field...that said, I see them continue to ride their wave of late success and upset the Hawks at home in a close one! Clinton Portis, Todd Collins and Santana Moss will be the key players! Jacksonville at Pittsburgh: Steelers have a bunch of injuries...Willie Parker, Aaron Smith...but they still have a very good defense and Troy Polamalu is still a beast...if they can stop the Jags run, they can certainly put some pressure on David Garrard who doesn't have the playoff experience of Big Ben...Steelers at home! NY Giants at Tampa Bay: Jeff Garcia has a lot of experience of big games...he will lead the Bucs past the Giants who have one of the most overrated QBs in the league...Eli is a Manning, and that's his biggest asset as a QB! Tennessee at San Diego: The Chargers are cruising...and finally beating the teams they are supposed to beat...so they'll beat Tennessee and get knocked out in the next round! That feels like 4 and 0 guys...4 and 0!!! heheheheeeee
