Started strong last week, only to end with a fizzle: 10/16. For the year, 111/177.
I need to finish very strong, having fallen from the 97th percentile all the way down to the 89th. Which means I need to take chances on a number upset choices. So, for those of you who look at my picks rather than the picks of actual NFL experts, here we go:
Philly over Houston – YAY!
New Orleans over Cincy (If Cincy had shown me anything, I’d have taken them here. And this still might be a good upset pick. But watching Ryan Fitzpatrick shred their secondary a couple weeks back has me wondering what Drew Brees might do to them…) – YAY!
Chicago over Detroit (Chicago is playing much better, and a few early season gift wins has them playing confidently, too.) – YAY!
Green Bay over San Fran – YAY!
Jacksonville over Tenn (gulp) (Tenn could win this with Chris Johnson alone. But then, they’ll have to. Jacksonville is the other early season smoke and mirrors team, but now that they’ve made it this far, I expect them to hold on) – YAY!
Denver over KC (gulp) (In KC. Denver doesn’t have a prayer. And yet — ) – X
Cleveland over Miami (GULP) (I called Miami’s upset last week; I’d feel better about Cleveland if Colt McCoy were the QB today, and Miami is at home, but like I said earlier, I need to find upsets. So here you go) – YAY!
Minnesota over Buffalo (Buffalo is playing a lot better, but so is the Minnesota defense) – YAY!
NYG over Wash (Washington isn’t good. In fact, despite the mediocre record, they aren’t really even mediocre. The Giants are hot and cold, but I expect them to take care of business here). – YAY!
SD over Oakland (Nobody is playing better than SD right now) – X (figures…)
ATL over Tampa (Except maybe ATL) – YAY!
Seattle over Carolina – YAY!
STL over Ariz (gulp) – YAY!
Indy over Dallas (Dallas is playing much better, but Indy at home is tough — and Peyton needs this one. Great time for Dallas to play spoiler, though…) – X
Pitt over Balt (21-17 – GULP) (I picked Baltimore the first time at Pittsburgh and got it right. So why not stick with the pattern, yes?) – YAY!
NE over Jets (in NE; can the Jets will themselves to another miracle escape? Not this time, I don’t think…) – YAY!
Now it’s your turn!
Taking a shot at three upsidedowners today, figuring maybe one of them will come home:
WSH nyg, DAL ind, atl TB
NO cin, CHI det, sf GB, JAC ten, den KC, cle MIA, buf MIN, oak SD, STL ari, car SEA, pit BAL, nyj NE,
hou PHI(!)
Die, cowgirlz, die. That is all.
I’m praying for Peyton’s safety JD, just so you know. Wouldn’t want nasty Mr Ware to inadvertently bring him to any harm.
Nasty Senor Ware is one of the few players I really like on that team. Felix Jones too. Therefore, I hope they slip on the ice and turn an ankle on the way to Lucas Oil Stadium.
If it’s OK with you all and having watched The Eagles beat the Texans… would it be possible for the Colts to just open a can of whoop ass on the Cowgirls?
Thanks!
When the Cowgirlz lose, the baby Jesus smiles.
Baby jesus must be getting cramps in his baby jesus facial muscles then, or at least occasionally wondering whether he don’t look a little silly with that gummy beam plastered on his face alla time.
Stadium report: 34 degrees fondly Fahrenheit. Those Jacksonville boys look chilly.
Reggie Wayne out. Austin Collie out. Dallas Clark out. Joseph Addai out. Mike Hart out. All our starting linebackers out. Bob Sanders out. Melvin Bullitt out. This is not good.
Chargers have a crapload of players out today – Tolbert, Gates, Jackson, Floyd …
Damn.
That Jones-Drew is one slippery midget.
I see the Giants are pounding the Skins 14-zip with 5:00 remaining in the first already. yoiks
Philly, New Orleans, Chicago, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Miami, KC, Minnesota, Giants, San Diego, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Indy, Baltimore and the NFL best New England Patriots.
I’m ready to fast forward to tomorrow.
I think the Vikings are going to win because Buffalo will screw up more than the Vikings have been.
Go Jets!
The once-vaunted Titans D is on vacay in Tahiti. Embarrassing when a 300-lb QB waddles in to score.
Yes! Take 95 to 495 N, exit at Rt 1 N, and take a right a few miles later when you see the big ass building with the enormous parking lot. We’re waiting for you!
I don’t think the Colts can win. But I find it hard to bet on Manning losing 3 straight.
Oh my, this is going rather better so far than I had reason to expect.
I’m still working on my prediction for the Raiders game, but ought to have it ready in a couple more hours.
FWIW, I’m currently 9-0. For now.
Wow. Lots better.
Not looking so good for the geldings. I hope at least that the tailgate was good, JD.
Holy shit! Did Zombie Landry show up, JD?
The Cowgirlz are kicking Pony ass, and the Bolts are choking. Crap.
I’m glad I decided to work today and just have the teevee on to see good plays from teams I like. I haven’t had to watch a whole lot of replays.
Well, I would be, too, Pablo, if I didn’t have to pick the Broncos.
I refuse to bet against my team. That’s why I’m in the 89th percentile rather than the 97th.
Wait. You picked Miami, Pablo.
Cleveland won.
I’ve got no tv coverage Big D (Atl-Tampa local) so have no sense of whether the Pokes are mounting any pass rush worthy the name on Manning, though it doesn’t look like it based on what ESPN’s gamecast tells? What do you see?
I’m finally feeling confident enough to go ahead and pick the Giants to beat the Redskins.
Still working on my Raiders’ prediction, though.
Aw, shit. They did indeed. And much like last week, the afternoon is not looking good for me. Bah. Is it tomorrow yet?
Me too, but mostly it works out well.
Pass rush is there, it’s the secondary that allowed the pitch and catch on Indy’s TD drive. They’ve hit Peyton hard a few times.
Yeah. I’m thinking the Broncos are one draft away from being a stud team. Unfortunately, we’ll be starting from scratch once our “fans” succeed in driving McDaniels out.
Cleveland rebounded so well once they fired Belichick.
119 yds rushing with 1:28 left in the half, only 1 penalty for 5 yds — a far cry from what they’d been pulling earlier in the year Duke.
Kickers
Offense is playing well, Sdferr. Choice has had some nice runs, including a 20 yarder for a TD. I’ve seen them blow way too many leads though so I’ll wait to get too excited. Still, at least they didn’t spot the Colts 17 points like they did the Saints.
Two consecutive weeks with two pick sixes for Manning.
Someone tell Manning to stop throwing picks and maybe they can win this game.
It is damn hard to be a Cowboys fan.
You can always switch to another team, Big D.
I tried to be a Colts fan, but I don’t qualify. My parents were married.
A surprising win for the Boys. Usually they play just well enough to get me into the game and then lose it at the end.
OK, after considering all of the variables, I’ve finally decided that it’s a good call to predict that the Raiders will defeat the Chargers.
The Seahawks won and remain in the playoff hunt!
At least it was an entertaining game. We have to beat TN thursday night.
Shouldn’t be very difficult, JD. There’s no leadership left, on the team or. Evident from the coaching staff. They mailed in today’s game.
The only excitement on the field came from Courtney Finnegan.
Dammed teensy Droid screen.
That loss hurt. We had no business being in that game.
I never tried to be a Cowboys fan. My eyes are blue, so I would not qualify.
I would note that I called the Chargers loss above.
Then, JD, I will blame you for the Bolt’s loss.
Bad JD! Bad!
cranky – I only did so in noting that their top 3 receivers and RB would be out for the game.
I didn’t know that, since I could not get the game here and I’m too lazy to check for stuff like that. I’m surprised they scored any points at all.
Now you know what it is like to be a Colts fan ;-)
The Ravens v Steelers game is simply a great ballgame. What a battle.
It surely was, JD.
Oh. And if Reggie Wayne catches that 3rd and 4 first down pass in OT, I think the Colts win that game about 2 minutes later.
Agreed, Jeff. I think he was still worn out from the last drive in regulation. Plus, he has dropped a lot of passes in recent weeks. Regardless, we were fortunate to be in that situation.
JeffG – you once spoke of how ridiculous the local radio guys were in bashing the Broncos. You ought to hear the local radio, and fans, crucifying the Colts and Peyton.
Sad news. Don Meredith passed away.
Damn, wasn’t expecting to hear that this a.m. Big.
Dandy Don, RIP.
That’s so depressing.
Honestly. I feel like I lost a buddy.
OT: the local weather reports are calling for a freeze here in SW Fl tonight, the earliest projected freeze in these normally hardly ever frozen environs in the last 50 years. Farmers are in a panic as huge money/crop losses are probable, should a freeze take hold for only a few hours of the night. This global warming deal is a bitch.
I see the McDaniels haters have got their wish.
It was a good football Sunday for me. My Falcons won, and the Steelers crushed that brilliant little toadstool, Ray Lewis.
I don’t love the Steelers, but I sure hate me some Ray Lewis.
This won’t be a problem when Florida is underwater, sdferr. It’s totally going to happen, too. Just you wait.
The Patriots are, hands down, the best team in football. It is not even close.
Heh. And when she goes under Pablo, we can all go out and trade-in our flip-flops to buy ice-skates for while we’re getting our freeze on! Oh, and woolens, thanks Gott in Himmel for a chance to get scratchy.
This is an outstanding football game…if you like watching the Jets get demolished.
Aaron Hernandez is an outstanding young player, and a ridiculous 4th round bargain. Belichick knows things. So he smoked a little bud. BFD. The boy can play.
I went 55 points for the tiebreaker on this game. I didn’t expect the Pats to score nearly all of them.
The Pats might beat the over all by themselves.
Hard Knocks, huh? Bwaaahahahahaha!
Some people should not talk about football. There’s wrong and then there’s wrong.
I didn’t know they played Canadian football in New York City. Maybe that’s why the Jets got stomped tonight.
JD – I finally see the fair weather fans taking off their Colts gear. I’m stuck with the Bears, but can’t believe their record. Manning will still come through – but please – don’t want former Colt fans globbing on to the Bears. — Another Bear & Colt Superbowl? Worst Superbowl ever when they met last time.
I’m complaining mightily about the Titans’ fall to…this…low level of inexplicable incompetence and undeniable lethargy, but I have a right to do so I think, having paid for season tickets and sitting in that cold-ass plastic seat until the last kneel-down gives me right to bitch and not be considered a ‘fair-weather fan’.
It’s not the fan’s complaining that hurts the team; it’s fan apathy, fans not showing up at all, leaving the dreaded Empty Seats (even if they are paid for) that gets the attention of ownership quicker than anything. We had plenty of those empty seats Sunday, and many more by halftime (well, it was freezing and snowing-flurrying, and people had to obey instinct and run to Kroger to buy milk and bread).
We’ll see what happens Thursday night, when The Forehead comes to town. The place should be packed.
But if there’s a preponderance of UT Orange, I won’t be surprised. Peyton Manning is O!BAMA! to certain cretinous sorts around here.
Let’s see —
I had Bears (The defense didn’t show up. Detroit just likes to lose.)
New Orleans
San Fran
Tenn
Denver (They were due.)
Cleveland (Why? beats me)
Buffalo
Giants
San Diego
Carolina
Arizona (They were due)
Indy
Pitt (Gotta win sometime)
Jets (New England is ready to fold)
Thank Obama college hoops are up. He (Obama) can beat any nerdy reporter in D.C. Just ask Charles.