Week Seventeen Picks

Well, it's late; the first game of week 17 is today, and the rest all take place tomorrow, to leave Monday free for bowl games. My observations on the final week of the season:

Unanimity

All three of our unanimous picks are for the home team this week, and none of them scare me too much. Of course, who saw the Titans smacking down the Colts last week? Vince Young, perhaps, but none of us. We've all picked the Jets, the Colts, and the Cowboys to win this week. I'm most concerned about the Cowboys, because with the makeup of that team, they have the potential to come apart like a cheap suit at any moment.

Solo Acts of Bravery

Richard "Tank" McPheeters has picked the Falcons to win on the road against the Eagles, and Les Puryear has picked the Cardinals to beat the Chargers in San Diego. Les's pick is dependent on a certain running back becoming disoriented on the way to the stadium on game day.

Upset Special Pick of the Week

I'm still enjoying my vacation in Michigan, and I had my step-brother Scott helping me get the picks together this week. In fact, he made all my picks for me, and then we went back and selected the upset special, which had to be the Bills over the Ravens. My heart isn't really in it, but I sure wasn't about to pick the Lions. This probably seals a victory for the Lions at Texas Stadium.

Weekly Trivia

The winner of the Super Bowl is awarded the Vince Lombardi trophy. What trophy is given to the winning team of the AFC and NFC championship games?

Week Sixteen Picks

Christmas week has arrived, and with it, plenty of match-ups that have big playoff implications. My observations on the picks:

Unanimity

There is thankfully precious little of this this week, as only in the Colts-Texans match-up are we agreed on who will win. So the Colts have that to overcome...

Solo Acts of Bravery

Kevin Stilley, who at one time was the overall leader but who went 8-8 last week and may be showing signs of desparation, picked the Carolina Panthers to win in the Georgia Dome. In the other SAoB, Les Puryear picks the Detroit Lions (I wasn't aware that they had actually fielded a team in Detroit this year; apparently they have) to defeat the Chicago Bears. Good luck, men!

Upset Special Pick of the Week

I know it's a longshot, but I need some of those to have a chance in this contest, so I've picked the Oakland Raiders in an upset over the Chiefs on Saturday night. Yeah, I know, probably not...

Weekly Trivia

The National Football League was founded in 1920, but it wasn't called by its current name until 1922. By what name was the National Football League originally known?

Week Fifteen Picks

It's the most wonderful time in the year. Nothing like December in the NFL. Here are this week's observations:

Unanimity
This scares me more and more each week, and it sure burned us last week. This week, we've chosen to curse up to six teams with certain defeat: The Seahawks, Ravens, Packers, Bears, Saints, and Chargers. I hope they'll forgive us.

Solo Acts of Bravery
Only one of these to report, as last week's winner, Joel Bezaire, selects the Raiders in a (yawn, stretch) thrilling upset at home. I was sure he'd pick the Lions...

Upset Special Pick of the Week
As I observed in a comment on last week's wrap-up post, had I not decided to make this a regular feature and simply gone with the majority, I'd be comfortably in first place in this contest. But perhaps this makes up for the fact that I'm the only one who gets to see all the picks before I make mine. This week, I've picked the Houston Texans in what will certainly be an upset win at New England. Especially if it snows.

Weekly Trivia
In 1994, the year of the National Football League's 75th anniversary, a selection committee of media and league personnel named the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Multiple players were chosen at each position, with four at the quarterback position. How many of these all-time great quarterbacks can you name? BONUS (not sure how that works with no prize involved): Name the placekicker on this team.

Week Fourteen Picks

And down the stretch they come...

Well, the college season is over, and until the bowls begin, pro football is in the spotlight. By the way, speaking of college football, one of the best comments I've yet heard on the running joke that is the BCS came from political operative James Carville, who co-hosts a sports talk show on XM satellite radio. He said, and this is a loose quote, "The best thing that can be said about the BCS is, as far as I know, they haven't killed anybody." Priceless.

Here are this week's observations.

Unanimity

We are unanimous on four games this week, predicting easy victories for the Jets, Bengals, Seahawks, and Bears. Probably, it won't happen that way at all, but for now, we're convinced. Silly us.

Solo Acts of Bravery

Only one of these to report this week, as Joe Kennedy, hopeless optimist that he is, picked the Denver Broncos to defeat the new LT and the Chargers in San Diego. Just for fun, look back through the picks; I'll give you fifteen dollars for every time Joe has picked the Broncos to lose. Of course, week 3 turned out pretty good for him...

Upset Special Pick of the Week

Fresh off my first ever correct Upset Special pick, I'm feeling good enough to pick the Browns, who jumped up and beat the Chiefs last week, to continue their winning ways by defeating the battered Steelers at the confluence on Sunday. Hey, it could happen.

Weekly Trivia

My trivia questions have apparently been far too easy until now, so I'm trying to make this one a little tougher. Remember, no one will know if you cheat except you and God. Oh, and Santa. Here's this week's question:

Of the fourteen charter franchises in the National Football League, only two remain in existence, neither in their original city and only one with their original name. What are they?