Football (american football to those across the pond!)

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by jojajihisc

J-Sun, are you saying Harrison wasn't warned for those kinds of hits before this game?

I could very well be wrong, but that's my impression. Of course he was warned not to do it again but I don't know that he was told a suspension was explicitly coming if he did (unlike Earl Bennett's dangerous behavior of wearing orange shoes, which got an unequivocal "next infraction is a suspension" warning).

Originally Posted by Parson

12-4 got you only a tie for last.

Figures. I almost always pick 10-6 or 11-5 and the one time I do better, I'm last.

Week 15

JAC @ ATL (Thursday)
DAL @ TB (Saturday)
CIN @ STL
GB @ KC
CAR @ HOU
NO @ MIN
SEA @ CHI
WAS @ NYG
TEN @ IND
MIA @ BUF
DET @ OAK
NYJ @ PHI
CLE @ ARI
NE @ DEN
BAL @ SD
PIT @ SF (Monday)

[Winters_Sorrow]

Originally Posted by Parson

This must have been an easy week. 12-4 got you only a tie for last. While 13-3 was a tie for first. And in a very biblical result, the last were first with Parson and Writer's Sorrow ringing up 13-3.

Joja 12-4 --- 139-69
Culh 12-4 --- 137-71
JSun 12-4 --- 134-74
Pars 13-3 --- 130-78
WSor 13-3 --- 50-18
__________

I'm not sure whether to be impressed with our group perspicacity or concerned that we're handily beating professionally paid pundits in various NFL related sites & tv networks in our wins/loss ratio.

Week 15

JAC @ ATL (Thursday) - Matt Ryan simply has to win to have any hope of reaching the Playoffs
DAL @ TB (Saturday) - Ditto for Dallas. They usually follow a bad week with a win (and then a win with a loss but that's next week)
CIN @ STL - Hate to say it, but this match could cost Spagnuolo his job. I still have warm feelings for him for ending the Pats unbeaten march. 18-1
GB @ KC - I think KC defense is actually pretty good, but lately 2 TDs is enough to beat this team so the GB defense should score enough to win!
CAR @ HOU - going for a post playoff clinching win hangover
NO @ MIN - C'mon you Vikes! Prove me wrong!
SEA @ CHI - Do Chicago have an offense? Might win more matches just keeping the D on and running it...
WAS @ NYG - Giants to keep pace with the 'Boys.
TEN @ IND - Should someone tell Indy they don't need to suck for Luck anymore
MIA @ BUF - I really don't know why I'm picking this one. Just to get another 'solo' spot I guess
DET @ OAK - Killing Oakland's playoff ambitions and ruining my dark horse predictions.
NYJ @ PHI - dunno what it is about December but Sanchez tends to win down the stretch.
CLE @ ARI - I think Colt McCoy's ears are still ringing.
NE @ DEN - I'm actually tempted to go Denver here but surely not...?
BAL @ SD - This could be another wrong one but Ed Reed + Rivers = Inception/Touchdown.
PIT @ SF (Monday) - C'mon the Niners! Consign yesterday's team to the dustbin!!

Byes: None

[Parson]

Well after having nearly all my picks picked, I accidentally shut shut down this browser. Grrrrr! So all my comments went south, and it's bed time. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

-----------

Week 15

JAC @ ATL (Thursday) Slightly better team at home.
DAL @ TB (Saturday) There had better not be a field goal for the win.
CIN @ STL ---
GB @ KC --- Kansas City will not end the run.
CAR @ HOU --- Close game
NO @ MIN --- But I think Minny covers the 8 pt. spread with AP rested
SEA @ CHI --- Another close one
WAS @ NYG --- A Washington victory would not surprise me.
TEN @ IND --- Is this the week for Indy???? No.
MIA @ BUF --- Miami does not play well in the cold.
DET @ OAK --- Panic time in the Motor City
NYJ @ PHI --- I so want Ryan to lose.
CLE @ ARI --- Better team at home.
NE @ DEN --- Way out on the limb here. Betting against NE defense
BAL @ SD --- Not a whisker's amount of difference.
PIT @ SF (Monday) --- Close your eyes and point.

Byes: None

[J-Sun]

After a pretty consensus week that worked out well for everyone last week, we're all over the map again for this week:

Consensus:
CLE @ wARI
JAC @ wATL
WAS @ wNYG
wCIN @ STL
wDAL @ TB
wGB @ KC
wNO @ MIN
wTEN @ IND

Split:
jo & pars: DET @ wOAK
cul & j & ws: wDET @ OAK

pars & ws: MIA @ wBUF
cul & j & jo: wMIA @ BUF

jo & pars & ws: PIT @ wSF
cul & j: wPIT @ SF

j & jo & pars: SEA @ wCHI
cul & ws: wSEA @ CHI

Solo:
jo: BAL @ wSD
jo: NYJ @ wPHI
pars: NE @ wDEN
ws: wCAR @ HOU

[J-Sun]

Craziest week all this year, already with just the early games. The Colts get their first win of the year against a team with a winning record that should have been fighting for their playoff lives and the Packers lose their first game of the season to a team with a losing record and nothing to play for. And in relatively trivial upsets, the Redskins shut down the Giants, the Seahawks demolished the Bears, and the Texans fell apart at Carolina. WS is having a great day, picking both the last two, though missing when Miami actually managed to beat Buffalo.

Crazy stuff. Wonder if the late games can possibly keep this up?

[jojajihisc]

The Chiefs haven't been eliminated yet, believe it or not, so they actually had some motivation whereas the Packers quest for perfection can only provide so much it would seem. Tennessee's excuse isn't so good but then a part of me thinks the Colts should have won a game or two by now anyway and it's about time they gave that kind of effort.

I hate trying to pick the Giant's games.

The Seahawks surprised me that they won they way they did. The Bears are a good example of why the league is smart to try and protect the QBs - when you drop off like that going from starter to backup. I'm still hoping Jackson learns to get rid of the ball quicker, especially when throwing from one's own end zone.

That tight end combination of the Patriots is unbelievable. If they could get just a tremor of life from that defense.

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by jojajihisc

The Chiefs haven't been eliminated yet, believe it or not, so they actually had some motivation

True - nothing realistic to play for, but it is possible. And, after this week, almost anything is possible.

Well, the afternoon/night games tried to keep up: I think everyone (but you) was surprised by what Philly did to the Jets and what the Chargers did to the Ravens - I bet even you didn't see them doing it to the extent that they did. That Chargers game was a beat down. Truly impressive for the Chargers - while the Ravens obviously didn't have a great game, I think it really was the Chargers more up than the Ravens down. Things are definitely getting interesting as time runs out on the regular season.

[Winters_Sorrow]

I think Jo had the best day, getting both of his solo picks come through.
Nobody saw the double whammy of KC & Indy winning though. Looking back at it, I can almost see KC as a classic trap game and one which GB would be 'prepared' to lose. I'm not accusing them of throwing the game, but I think the head coaches and players are actually happy to not have the "undefeated" tag hanging over them anymore. It's sad really in that the media place so much pressure on it that it's almost guaranteeing that it'll never happen again, except possibly in a strike-shortened season or something.

GB couldn't/wouldn't lose divisional games against the Bears & Lions so KC represented an 'acceptable loss' away from home. The way the KC defense played I thought they would have a shot coming in, but I'd still have preferred to see them go undefeated just to shut up the media circus every year about the '72 dolphins. Anyway, somewhat ironic that the Colts get their first win in the same week.

The Chargers look on fire right now - the Raven's defence didn't even come close to challenging them all game, which is fairly shocking. People may point to another 'Flaky Flacco' performance with his picks and very limited short-yardage game, but the Baltimore D was shredded several times and ran on very successfully so both sides are equally to blame for a change. With that win, KC's win and Oakland/Denver losing, that division just became the most competitive around! All to play for in the next 2 games. Those final day inter-divisional games will be very tense!

Saints were horribly impressive, evening beating up on a poor team, and Brees looks a near certainty to beat Marino's passing record in the next 2 games, which is very noteworthy.

EDIT: Actually, after checking the in-game highlights I'm perhaps not giving the Chiefs enough credit. They did very well on defence and their slow, clock-chewing drives were reminiscent of the way teams try and slow down high scoring passing offences like the Saints, Pack & Pats by winning the time of possession battle and, more importantly, getting points from their drives. The GB defence needs to step up to the plate in the post season or Rodgers will need more 40 point performances!

[Parson]

Originally Posted by Winters_Sorrow

Saints were horribly impressive, evening beating up on a poor team, and Brees looks a near certainty to beat Marino's passing record in the next 2 games, which is very noteworthy.

How low the Vikings have sunk that I can't even begin to dispute this or feel any anger. The secondary might be adequate for college team.... How about that for faint praise.

[jojajihisc]

Have you guys seen the runaway cart from a high school football game at Cowboys Stadium?

[J-Sun]

That's totally weird. I hope everyone was okay (since Garrett wasn't there ). I would be suspicious of someone targeting the clump as some sort of a practical joke or worse but they'd have to have incredibly good geometrical calculations - but it did bullseye them from a giant arc. Too weird for malice, too weird for chance.

[Parson]

Originally Posted by J-Sun

Too weird for malice, too weird for chance.

What does that leave? Demon possession?

[jojajihisc]

I heard nobody was seriously hurt.

I like how the guy goes one steering for few seconds, dodging obstacles and then bails out the side like its about to go over a cliff. Uh, reach over with your hand and hit the brake.

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by Parson

What does that leave? Demon possession?

Watching that cart, I could buy that.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Winters_Sorrow

Saints were horribly impressive, evening beating up on a poor team, and Brees looks a near certainty to beat Marino's passing record in the next 2 games, which is very noteworthy.

Brees' numbers in the Vikings game were ridiculous, even coming against such a weak opponent. I'd put money on him beating the record this week against Atlanta, and piling it on against Carolina. He's been ridiculously consistent in putting up yards this year - at one point early on, even though he was on track to beat Marino's record, Brady and I think Rodgers were both actually projecting to do even better. Brees has just put the foot down and kept it down.

The MVP seems to be Rodgers' to lose, but I think a very strong case can be made for Brees. Look at Rodgers this week - Jennings goes out and the Pack lose their way. Jennings is not only a great reciever, but he takes coverage away from the other guys catching the ball. That hasn't been the case with the Saints. Colston is a stud, but he's no Jennings. If one option is off the table, Brees will spread it around. Brees makes his recievers better, no matter who they are. It's probably splitting hairs, of course - they're both amazing QBs. I'll still be interested to watch Rodgers and Brees over these last two weeks and see how they compare.