Football (american football to those across the pond!)

[Parson]

Parson is a little bit embarrassed by the situation and the fact that I could only watch about 3 min. of the game. Family obligations. But thanks guys!!

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by J-Sun

Your solo is up next.

Hail to the Chiefs, baby!

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

Hail to the Chiefs, baby!

How'd you know Rivers was going to fumble that ball?

Congrats to you, too!

[Parson]

Culh 10-3 ..... 77-39
JoJa 9-4 ..... 80-36
Pars 9-4 ...... 75-41
JSun 6-7 ...... 73-43


Culh seemed to have an easy time of it this week with a sterling 10-3. Not far behind and starting to stretch out his season lead was JoJa with a 9-4. Both Pars and JSun are looking for a 13-0 week to bring things back into contention.


Week 9

MIA @ KC
SEA @ DAL
TB @ NO
SF @ WAS
NYJ @ BUF
CLE @ HOU
ATL @ IND
CIN @ TEN
DEN @ OAK
NYG @ NE
GB @ SD
STL @ ARI
BAL @ PIT
CHI @ PHI

Byes: Panthers, Lions, Jaguars, Vikings

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by J-Sun

How'd you know Rivers was going to fumble that ball?

Congrats to you, too!

You know what they say, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

To the picks! With comments! Cause you all missed them last week, I'm sure...

Week 9

MIA @ KC - KC keeps rolling, although if they play like they did last week, they may lose...
SEA @ DAL - Dallas are capable of anything, but they win this, I think.
TB @ NO - I figure they'll be somewhere between their past two performances this week, and it'll be just enough. Three points or less in it.
SF @ WAS - San Fran are due a stumble I figure, but I can't see it happening this week.
NYJ @ BUF - Bills because I don't much like the Jets.
CLE @ HOU - Cleveland are a lot worse than their record, I feel.
ATL @ IND - Please prove me wrong, Indy.
CIN @ TEN - The Bengals have been suprising this year. Not great, but serviceable.
DEN @ OAK - I feel sorry for Tim Tebow, but I don't think he's got a snowball's of making it in this league now.
NYG @ NE - New England to bounce back.
GB @ SD - Green Bay could go undefeated. Until they meet the Saints in the NFC Championship game, that is...
STL @ ARI - If Bradford's back I'd call this a lock.
BAL @ PIT - Surprised, actually, how easy this was to pick.
CHI @ PHI - I want Philly to be bad, I really do, but they look like they may be improving.

Byes: Panthers, Lions, Jaguars, Vikings

[Parson]

Week 9

MIA @ KC
SEA @ DAL
TB @ NO
SF @ WAS
NYJ @ BUF --- After my infamous New Orleans "As close to lock as possible. I'm loath to make comments, but this one I see as very close. There I've broken the ice.
CLE @ HOU --- Going with the home team here.
ATL @ IND ---- I think Indy will cover the spread (7-8 pts.)
CIN @ TEN ---- In a very close one
DEN @ OAK ---- Maybe without Al Davis...., no I just can't like the "Raiders."
NYG @ NE ---- Which New England is going to show up?
GB @ SD ---- I desperately want to pick San Diego, but I can't make myself do it.
STL @ ARI ---- the "Who cares" game. Or maybe the Andrew Luck sweepstakes game.
BAL @ PIT
CHI @ PHI

Byes: Panthers, Lions, Jaguars, Vikings

The one week I'm sure the Vikings won't lose.

[jojajihisc]

Week 9

MIA @ KC
SEA @ DAL
TB @ NO
SF @ WAS
NYJ @ BUF
CLE @ HOU
ATL @ IND
CIN @ TEN
DEN @ OAK
NYG @ NE
GB @ SD
STL @ ARI
BAL @ PIT
CHI @ PHI

[J-Sun]

After being between 62% and 69% every single week (10-6/11-5 or 9-4/8-5) I finally broke out from the boring monotony... the wrong direction.

(BTW, I never got around to mentioning: on the consensus picks last week, we were 6-2 (St. Louis famously beating New Orleans and Pittsburgh beating New England).)

MIA @ KC
SEA @ DAL
TB @ NO
SF @ WAS
NYJ @ BUF
CLE @ HOU
ATL @ IND
CIN @ TEN
DEN @ OAK
NYG @ NE
GB @ SD
STL @ ARI
BAL @ PIT
CHI @ PHI

-- Oh. I didn't realize I was last. Okay - this week all games are consensus picks except:

Parson and I have Tennessee while Cul and jo have Cincy.

Crap. I'm the only one picking Tampa over New Orleans (you're welcome, Cul!)
jo is the only one picking Arizona over St. Louie.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Parson

STL @ ARI ---- the "Who cares" game. Or maybe the Andrew Luck sweepstakes game.

I don't think you can hold the Luck Bowl without Indy and Miami in attendance! I don't think either of these teams are in the running for first overall pick, but it'd be interesting to see what they did if they do 'win' it.

St Louis have their franchise QB, but do they gamble that Luck will be better and ship Bradford. Or stand pat and try to ship the pick? The latter, I think.

Arizona invested a lot in Kolb, and I honestly don't think he is that bad. But if they have a bad enough season to get the first pick, I wouldn't expect Whisenhunt to be around on draft day, and new regimes like a new QB.

In the more likely scenario that Indy or Miami get the first pick, it's a no brainer. Take Luck and sit him if you are Indy (and Manning is healthy) and play him if you're Miami.

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by Culhwch

I don't think you can hold the Luck Bowl without Indy and Miami in attendance! I don't think either of these teams are in the running for first overall pick, but it'd be interesting to see what they did if they do 'win' it.

St Louis have their franchise QB, but do they gamble that Luck will be better and ship Bradford. Or stand pat and try to ship the pick? The latter, I think.

Arizona invested a lot in Kolb, and I honestly don't think he is that bad. But if they have a bad enough season to get the first pick, I wouldn't expect Whisenhunt to be around on draft day, and new regimes like a new QB.

In the more likely scenario that Indy or Miami get the first pick, it's a no brainer. Take Luck and sit him if you are Indy (and Manning is healthy) and play him if you're Miami.

Manning says he still wants to play this year. Wouldn't it be ironic if Manning did get healthy enough to play the last few games and somehow got them winning again... so they lost the Luck bowl and couldn't draft his replacement? If the Colts keep losing, I bet Manning gets IR'ed soon.

I agree 100% on St. Louis and you're probably right about Arizona, but I doubt either will get it - I'm not saying Miami will be winless, but I think they get it unless the Colts IR Manning and take a dive. And, especially with Sparano's situation and all, I believe Miami wants to win. I'm not so sure the Colts do.

Seattle and Denver aren't out of it, either, and both could sure use a QB.

-- Your "Luck Bowl" got me wondering about it literally: I looked it up and Seattle and Arizona do end their seasons playing each other. It'd be hilarious if that game would actually decide the worst record.

[Culhwch]

Miami does look better than an 0-7 team. The Colts look about right for a 0-8 team, and I don't see Manning playing again this year. I figure they'll both get a win before the end of the season, and Miami might get a couple. St Louis, Arizona and Seattle should all finish 3-13 or better. Denver might not win another game, but they probably luck into at least one more win. Jacksonville have a good defense but no real offense. They might win one or two more.

So I figure the top of the draft board is Indy first, Miami second, and then some combination of Denver, three-quarters of the NFC West, the Jags and the Browns.

[jojajihisc]

Originally Posted by J-Sun

Seattle and Denver aren't out of it, either, and both could sure use a QB.

Some of us Seahawk fans aren't even convinced Carroll and Schneider (GM) are smart enough to draft Luck had they the chance to do so. These two former AFC West rivals I think are going to be stuck in limbo for several more seasons if they don't get a Hasselbeck/Cutler-level replacement. All I can hope for is they get that next quarterback who has spent this season being overlooked due to all the Luck hype.

I wonder if Indy could reap enough in a trade to make it worthwhile to trade that potential number one pick? Probably not, and there's no justice going seamlessly from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck.

I wouldn't be surprised (and sorry Parson) to see the Vikings make it back into the conversation before the year's over either.

[Parson]

Originally Posted by jojajihisc

I wouldn't be surprised (and sorry Parson) to see the Vikings make it back into the conversation before the year's over either.

For the worst record, that could happen. I don't think they draft Luck even if they can. I would expect that if the Vikings have the top pick or even one of the top 3 or 4 they will try to trade them for an extra pick or two. They have a lot of needs, but I don't think that they will draft another Quarterback #1. More likely an corner, or possibly and O Lineman. Both glaring needs for the Vikings.

(I would bet that the Vikings finish with 4 maybe 5 wins which will put them completely out of the Luck sweepstakes.)

[J-Sun]

Okay - the NFL is fixed and jo is on it! (And I'm obviously not.) jo picks the only correct upset of the week and I help the Saints to another victory. I also dragged Parson down and jo is right again, along with Cul, on the TEN/CIN game.

But, with one game to go, this hasn't been a kind week for the consensus picks, either, as we stand at 5-5. I don't think anyone's amazed that the Ravens managed to pull out a close one against the Steelers and it's probably not too bizarre that the Jets beat the Bills, though some of you may have other feelings. But picking the biggest upset still has a lot of candidates: a previously anemic Denver manages to top Oakland in a sort of shootout. Miami won't go winless (as I expected, though not this week) topping a Chiefs team that seems to have reverted to early season form, and the inconsistent Giants managed to top a sliding Patriots team.

I figure we all have the Eagles but most or all wouldn't mind them losing and wouldn't be astonished at either team winning - at least, that's how I feel - so my vote for most surprising game would have to be between Denver (in quality) and New England (in kind), with New England getting the edge.

I caught next to nothing of the Skins/Niners, watching the Jets simply dominate the Bills at every stage. I originally thought I was getting regionally shafted getting the New England/New York game since I'm in the right half of the country and was thinking the Packers/Chargers was the A game but, since Aikman and Buck were doing the NE/NY game, I guess FOX thought it was the A game. The Patriots weren't exactly a disaster, but the Giants definitely handled them. I wish I could have seen what the heck's up with Rivers, though. The ironic thing about the game is that it says to me Green Bay isn't invulnerable. The Chargers were handing out pick-6's like leftover Halloween candy and still could have won. And then I felt the Steelers defense just left the field a drive too early and lost a game they otherwise won but, aside from that, it was another fine addition to a fantastic series.

[Culhwch]

I don't think Green Bay is invulnerable, either. They have a suspect pass defense - when they go against QBs with weapons (Chargers, Saints so far this year) it's going to be a shootout. The opposition just needs to limit mistakes, and have a good - not necessarily great - day on defense. That said, I don't know that there are many teams in the NFC capable of doing all that.

I haven't seen much of the Niners this year, but with Alex Smith over centre I don't think they'd keep pace with the Pack in the post-season. Detroit might do, though Stafford is awfully young to be taking that team deep in the playoffs. Philly can turn it on on offense but I'd bet on the Packer's defense in that matchup. If the Saints can limit turnovers and get a few defensive stops, I think they might be the only team that can stop Green Bay going to their second Super Bowl. I don't have a lot of faith that they can do that, though...