6-0 last week. I can’t believe it took me all season to finally have a perfect week, but it actually happened! What was even better about the perfect week is that it put me over.500 for the season for the first time all season. It’s been a fun this year having By around to keep me motivated on making all these picks. Plus, it’s much more fun than caring about the Starbucks logo changing. Hopefully next year I can take By down!! Also, this week we were joined by Ryan Meehan from First Order Historians. I made the same picks over on his site if you want to check out even more reasons why I picked these teams check it out here.
I must admit, I’m a bit jealous Chaps had a perfect week, something that I was striving for all season long. But I can’t complain about a 42-35-5 record on the season, the first time I’ve made picks in which I could reflect back on from a whole season’s worth. It was real fun joining Chaps this season, and I definitely look forward to next (if there is one). According to Roger Goodell, there will be. But for now it’s money time, onto the playoffs!
Week 17 (Chap 6-0, By 2-2) Overall (Chap 48-47-3 By 42-35-5)
New Orleans (-10.5) @ Seattle
Chappy picks New Orleans -10.5. Is there any question on this one? Seattle shouldn’t be in the playoffs, and the Saints will show us all why. I understand that Drew Brees hasn’t had a career year, and has thrown quite a few picks this year, but you know what makes up for a subpar season? Winning in January. He’s shown he can do that, and I think he’ll open up a few big plays against a not very impressive Seahawks defense. Plus, the Saints have had the same problems as two other playoff teams during the regular season, injuries to the offense (Packers and Colts), but were good enough to still win 10 games. I feel like injuries were the reason the Falcons are widely conceived to be a much better team. Now, Brees has most of his weapons back at the right time, so we will soon see who is best, I think they’d play next round.
By picks Seattle (+10.5). What!? I stated how much I hate Pete Carrol before right? So why the contradiction here? Why would I pick his team to win? Quite simply put, this game can only head in one of two directions. Either the Saints completely mop the floor with the Seahawks winning by some 40 points, or the Seahawks pull off one of the greatest upsets in playoff history by dethroning the champs. There’s no in between in my eyes. There’s no Seahawks lose a tight one. And as much as I love Drew Brees and despise Cheat Carrol, I’m hoping Seattle shows some NFC West pride and represents our division well. Otherwise the NFL might have themselves a BCS like controversy in terms of how they decide playoff participants going forward. Seahawks have nothing to lose here, which makes them dangerous, I like their chances.
Meehan picks New Orleans -10.5. The Seahawks ended the year with a -79 point differential, and to make matters even more depressing, lost every one of those nine games by 15 points or more. Yikes. Later on, I’ll discuss why this upsets me so much. The Seahawks shouldn’t get their “12th man” advantage, because this game should be in New Orleans. They didn’t beat anybody good and all of the good teams they played they got smoked. Now, I’m picking the Saints, but I will say that if an upset this weekend has to happen it’s this one here. Prediction: New Orleans Saints 32, Seattle Seahawks 15
NY Jets @ Indianapolis (-2.5) Continue reading