Week Thirteen Picks

Well, we survived Thanksgiving week, and some of us (me, for example) are a bit worse for the wear. Actually, it was really only me that was greatly harmed; everyone else was above .500 for the week. Here's hoping this week is better. Some observations:

Unanimity

There is less of this in week thirteen due to a higher-than-usual rate of Solo Acts of Bravery. We are in one accord on just three games this week, predicting defeat for the Lions, the Browns, and the Vikings. That Vikings pick makes me a bit nervous, being that it involves rivals in what used to be known as the NFC Norris Division, a term rendered meaningless by the NHL's messing with its division names for no good reason.

Solo Acts of Bravery

Tim Sweatman, no doubt counting on a big day from Ocho Cinco (he had one last week) has picked the Bengals to upset the visiting Baltimore Ravens. Maybe if the Ravens bring the Browns' defense instead of their own...

Joe Kennedy picks the Giants over the Cowboys. My heart is with him here, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Geoff Baggett, in what looks like desparation, has picked the Titans to upset the Colts. Joel Bezaire has the 'Niners beating the Saints in the dome, and Richard "Tank" McPheeters has taken the Buccs over the Steelers.

Upset Special Pick of the Week

For the second week in a row, the Cardinals are playing indoors against a mediocre opponent, and they nearly pulled it off against the Vikes. They will have better luck this week against the Rams, and will have senile St. Louis fans cheering them on because they have a red bird on their helmets. Maybe.

Weekly Trivia

Speaking of helmets, the helmet logo of which two NFL teams features a depiction of a helmet within the logo itself? Resist the temptation to look at the pictures above and see if you can figure it out without cheating. I'll reveal the answer next week, unless someone gets it before then.

Week Twelve Picks

Thanksgiving is upon us, and with it the great tradition, started by Dallas Cowboys innovative GM Tex Schramm of watching pro football. Schramm saw an opportunity to get the Cowboys in front of the nation every year at Thanksgiving, and this is largely the reason for them becoming "America's Team." Of course, they had to do a little winning as well to claim that title, but the Thanksgiving Day game was a large part of their commercial success.

Here are some observations on this week's picks:

Unanimity

For the most part, these are pretty obvious, and shouldn't produce any surprises, although I always allow for a meltdown by the Cowboys. We all picked the 'Boys, the Colts (at home against the McNabb-less Eagles; duh), the Chargers (powered by the new LT), and the Seahawks (against the hapless Packers).

Solo Acts of Bravery

There are two of these to report this week, as admitted Redskins fan (no word on his "Hogette" status) Tom Bryant picks his beloved 'Skins to beat the Panthers in D.C., and Richard "Tank" McPheeters picks the Texans, inexplicably, to beat the Jets in New Jersey. All I can think of is that his in-laws are from Houston, but even that doesn't justify this pick in my mind. Oh, well.

Upset Special Pick of the Week

The Arizona Cardinals broke their losing streak last week, which has come in spite of some promising play by rookie QB Matt Leinart. In the ideal conditions of the HHH Metrodome, the Cards will put it all together on Sunday and dominate the Vikings. Or, not.

Weekly Trivia

The aforementioned Tex Schramm's first job in football was with the Los Angeles Rams, which he left in 1957 to join CBS Sports before taking the Cowboys job in 1959. Who was the legendary owner and founder of the Cowboys who hired Schramm?

Week Eleven Picks

Well, we've made it to the week before Thanksgiving, the last week without Thursday games (subtle reminder to send in your picks while watching Monday Night Football). Here are my observations on this week's picks.

Unanimity

There is much less of this in evidence this week, and it's curious that both of the teams that we all believe will win this week (Panthers and Eagles) are sporting 5-4 records. Probably, it has something to do with the fact that their opponents (Rams and Titans) are a combined 6-12 on the year.

Solo Acts of Bravery

While there are five matchups where only two contestants picked the underdog, there is only one SAoB to report this week, as Robin Foster, in a game where we should probably be more evenly divided, picked the 3-6 Washington Redskins over the 2-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hopefully, this game won't be televised in my area...

Upset Special Pick of the Week

While my heart isn't really in it, I'm picking the Oakland Raiders (2-7) to upend the Chiefs (5-4) on the Chiefs' home turf at Arrowhead Stadium. There's no good reason for that to actually happen, but that's why they play the games instead of just simulating them, right?

Weekly Trivia

In this new feature, I will pose an NFL trivia question here when I post the picks, then reveal the answer when I post the weekly wrap-up on the main blog on Tuesday, unless someone guesses correctly. Submit your guess in the comment section here. You are on your honor not to use the internet or any other resource to research your answer. Also, there is no incentive to cheat, as there are no prizes involved. So give it your best shot.

This week's question: Among head coaches with at least five full seasons of service, which one has the highest winning percentage in the history of the National Football League?

Week Ten Picks

Well, the season is halfway finished. If you had told me that I would be in the overall lead (tied) at the halfway point, I would have told you I must have cheated. But there was none of that involved; just some lucky picks along the way. Here's hoping for more of the same. My Week 10 observations:

Unanimity

This is a frightening topic, since we were united in our wrongness in three of four unanimous choices last week. In last week's wrap-up post, I expressed the hope that there would be less agreement this week; instead, there is more. We are unanimous on seven games, and while they all look like solid picks, that was the case last week as well, and look where it got us.

Solo Acts of Bravery

Two contestants have stepped out in faith this week. Joel Bezaire has picked the Cleveland Browns to beat the Falcons this week in the Georgia Dome, on the theory that if the Lions can beat them, anyone can. Robin Foster is hoping that the past truly is prologue, remembering that the last time the Texans faced the Jaguars, they beat them like dogs. He picks the Texans in the rematch.

Upset Special Pick of the Week

Speaking of beaten dogs, this one seemed like a no-brainer to me, as I am now convinced that the Cowboys have become like a dog that has beaten so much it has decided to remain under the porch, quivering anytime someone approaches. They'll come out of the locker room in Arizona, but that will be the extent of their achievements on Sunday, as the Cardinals will coast to victory.

At least, that's what I think.

Thanks, as always, for enjoying this diversion with me.

Week Nine Picks

Well, the last of the bye weeks is upon us; after Monday, everyone's record will contain the same number of games (8), and we'll be half-way through the season. Here are some observations on this week's picks:

Unanimity

Not even Windsor, Ontario native Joel Bezaire would pick the Lions to win at home against the Falcons. The Lions join the Dolphins, the 49er's, and the Browns as this week's least-respected teams, at least by our contestants. I wonder how many of them will win handily.

Solo Acts of Bravery

Just because he didn't pick the Lions doesn't mean Joel is afraid to go out on a limb, as he has done by picking the Raiders (who have played more on Monday Night than any other team) to prevail on the road against the Seahawks. Joining Joel on similar limbs are Tim Sweatman, who inexplicably picked the Titans (!) to win at Jacksonville, and Robin Foster, who apparently thinks last week's defeat of the Jags by Houston was no fluke, and believes the Texans can beat the New York football Giants on their own turf. Anyone else hear a distinct sawing sound?

Upset Special Pick of the Week

I have no offering in this category this week. All week, I had my eye on the Cowboys/Redskins rivalry, but two of the later contestants picked the 'Skins. While I went ahead and picked them, it doesn't really qualify under the rules I put in place, which is that it must be a pick I have all to my self. And I just couldn't go with any of the other unpicked teams, Tim's brave selection of Tennessee notwithstanding.

Good luck to all. Remember, Thursday action is coming soon.