The league is taking shape but there is still so much more to go. I'm actually having a halfway decent season picking, even though I've only had a couple really good weeks. I've so far been able to avoid a really bad week though, so that's helped. I wish my Broncos could say the same!
Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 11-4
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 9-5
Week 8: 13-2
Total: 79-42
My picks for week 9:
49ers @ Cardinals: 49ers. This is the kind of game the Cardinals could easily steal as an upset, but I'm sticking with the safe pick here.
Texans vs Jaguars: Texans. Can we please, for the love of all that is great about the game of football, please, kill this London series?
Redskins at Bills: Bills. After game 2 of the World Series, the Nationals and Redskins had both played 2 games that week. The Nationals outscored the Redskins 17-9. Here's another fun fact: The Redskins were 9.5 dogs to the 49ers in what would become a 9-0 loss. This makes the Redskins the first team to ever cover a spread without scoring a single point. Now THAT'S a fun fact!
Vikings at Chiefs: Vikings. Tough, tough one to call. Vikings are functional on offense and very good defensively. Chiefs have no defense to speak of and may be without Mahommes again on offense. They'll drop to 5-4 but they're still a lock to win the West because there isn't really any competition among the other teams.
Jets @ Dolphins: Jets. Can we just skip this game?
Bears @ Eagles: Eagles. More complete team at home. Easy pick. Hope I didn't just jinx the Eagles here. Sorry, Calico.
Colts @ Steelers: Colts. There isn't anything fancy about how they're doing it, but they're winning just the same.
Titans @ Panthers: Titans. They need this one to keep pace in a crowded AFC South, where every team is still a threat to take it.
Lions @ Raiders: Raiders. Give both teams some serious credit: they're both significantly better than I thought they'd be.
Buccaneers @ Seahawks: Seahawks. Easy pick. Yeah, yeah, "any given Sunday" and "no game is easy" and "blah blah blah" this is an easy pick.
Browns @ Broncos: Broncos. The move from Flacco to Allen could prove to be a disaster, but let's not forget this Broncos defense is pretty good and it's not like Flacco's production is going to be hard to replicate. A younger, more mobile QB may even be a better fit by avoiding sacks when the team is on the edge of FG range. That would be nice.
Packers @ Chargers: Packers. These teams couldn't be more different. Big team from a small town who plays in a storied, big stadium visiting a small team from the biggest city in the U.S. not named NYC, in a small stadium, with virtually no fan base to speak of.
Patriots @ Ravens: Ravens. It's usually a bad move to pick against the Patriots especially in a prime slot. This is exactly the kind of game they get up for and thrive in. But this Ravens team is probably the best team they've faced all season by at least a dozen or two standard deviations. They may be the 2nd best team in the conference and the only legitimate threat to the Patriots conference title hopes. (Sorry, KC, without a defense you're not a serious contender.)
Cowboys at Giants (Monday): Cowboys. This could also be a bad pick. I think they're way better than the Giants but this is the kind of game they lose, (see Jets) and since it's the Giants, a rival game where anything can happen and plus I historically am horrendous at picking games involving the Giants, who knows? I'm just going to tune this one out. Someone wake me when it's over.
Good luck everyone except the Browns!
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