Here we are. The Steelers have been eliminated from playoff consideration and the best that they can hope for is to finish at .500. If they manage to accomplish that objective, they will have had a better season than the Pirates, though it's fair to argue which team had the more epic collapse in 2012. It's been a long, frustrating season from start to finish, but there have been plenty of highs to go along with the lows.
I think the Browns are improving and I think that they have a bright future now that Mike Holmgren isn't in charge of personnel decisions and Pat Schurmur will most likely not be in charge of anything in the very near future (like Monday).
I think Brandon Weeden is going to be a good quarterback well into his mid-30s, which means that they'll have a solid five years of good quarterback play in Cleveland. Trent Richardson is the second coming of Jamaal Lewis and I'm not looking forward to that guy running roughshod over Steeler defenders for the next decade or so.
Joe Hayden leads a talented, ball-hawking secondary and the front seven has shown improvement over the course of the season, though that's definitely the team's weakness. Well, that and the offensive line. And they're pretty thin at receiver and tight end.
OK, they have some work to do, but I think the Browns and Bengals are trending up and the Steelers and hated Ravens are trending down. Cincinnati took a huge step forward in Week 16 and, according to my Pick Em picks, I think they'll take another big step forward by beating Baltimore this week.
My point is not that the Browns are awesome and that the Steelers suck. My point is that these are two teams headed in different directions that happen to both be eliminated from post season contention.
But, at least as far as Sunday is concerned, the Browns are still the Browns and the Steelers are still the Steelers. Mike Wallace and Heath Miller won't be available, but I don't think that will make a huge difference. The Steelers are going to do what they do on offense and Cleveland will try to stop them. Given that I don't think the Browns are going to force eight turnovers on Sunday, I don't think they'll be able to make enough stops to win this game. Weeden and Richardson have both been declared out and so has Colt McCoy. That means that something called a Thad Lewis is starting at quarterback and a Montario Hardesty (charter member of the Wasted Fantasy Football Pick-up Hall of Fame) will be starting at tailback.
At some point, probably after their fifth consecutive three-and-out, the Browns will realize that there's not that much difference between 5-11 and 6-10 and just lay down. They've done that the past few times they've played the Steelers in the last game of the season and they'll do it again. Because the Browns are still the Browns and the Steelers are still the Steelers.
Next season, who knows? Cleveland could be fighting for a playoff spot and the Steelers could be 5-10.
This season, the Brownies have Thad Lewis, a lame duck head coach, and some dude named Montario starting at running back. The Steelers still have a core group of guys -- the old guard of Keisel, Ryan Clark, Max Starks, Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, Larry Foote, Ben Roethlisberger, and even guys on IR like Ike Taylor and Heath -- that will want to finish the season strong and will do whatever it takes to make sure Week 17 isn't yet another losing effort.
Sure, the Steelers went on the road earlier this season and won a game against a division rival with their third string quarterback and a back-up starting at running back. But, they also still had something to play for and those guys were Charlie Batch and Jonathan Dwyer, not Thad Lewis and Montario Hardesty. Not that I think Batch and Dwyer are all-stars, but they've certainly shown enough throughout the season to suggest they're better than Lewis and Hardesty.
Then there's the fact that a big win on Sunday can fool us into believing the Steelers will come back strong next season, carrying momentum through offseason activities and training camp. And the fact that a dismantling of the Browns would show, in some small way, that this team had real potential to be a dominant squad, they just frittered that potential away through injuries and inconsistent play.
I'm not looking at match-ups as much as I'm looking at history, emotion, and mental fortitude. For those reasons, I think the Steelers will roll (which means that the Browns will win).
Prediction:
Steelers 27, Browns 6
Friday, December 28, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Pick Em Week 17
(For Pick Em Standings -- week-by-week and YTD -- click here.)
#StupidForty
Not much more needs to be said heading into this week. Stupid, stupid Forty Ah well, there's always next year, right? One swing game this week, and that's me in the Cincy/Baltimore game. I honestly think that Cincy is going to choke after knocking us out of the playoffs as well as get cocky after reaching the post-season two years in a row for the first time in 30 years. Which really puts things in perspective. I gave that a lot of thought after spending the holidays in Eagles country and came to a conclusion:
Steelers fans are really, really spoiled.
The Bungles are jumping for joy after getting there two years in a row. The Eagles fans have been enduring years of up and down torment. Some fans support a team that's never even gone to the Super Bowl. Yet, we in Steelers country - who rarely have to endure two years in a row not going to the post season - are crying in our beers after this bummer of a season. I've even heard people calling for Tomlin to get fired.
Calm down, people. It's not the end of the world - it just feels like it right now. Simply take this feeling, put it in a box, look at it for a moment - realizing that this is how Cleveland fans feel all the time - and just hold on to the fact that Power season is right around the corner.
Lock of the Week (Keller): San Francisco over Arizona (I think that this one could get ugly, with Jim Harbaugh running up the score to impress the poll voters, so take the points and the over): 42-14.
Jim Harbaugh is mad that his team got smoked in Seattle last week and the 49ers will have a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC. They kick off at the same time as the Packers, but Harbaugh will make sure that there is no scoreboard watching. He knows that he can win some points in the coach's poll and improve his BCS ranking with a big win on Sunday.
Seriously, though, San Francisco will play angry and Steelers West has nothing left to play for, which means BIG advantage 49ers.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): San Fran over Arizona (Hahahahahahahahahahahaha, yeah, Points and Over):
Holy baked beans with marshmallows, 16.5 favorites? How can I not take that line? AZ is basically the Honey Badger right now, and not in a good way. This is the point where they return to the days of old where they aren't even aware that the league ever expanded to a 16 game season. Nothing to play for, nothing left in the tank, and not an ounce of give-a-f- Er, I'm saying they are out of it. Meanwhile, they're playing against someone who likes to run up the score. Also, #StupidForty.
Lock of the Week (Forty): Denver over Kansas City 28-10 (The Broncos are favored by 17, that's just crazy. However, I it's in the realm of possibility and with a spread that high you probably want to take the 42 over.)
I hate to take the same Lock team two weeks in a row, but Denver is the best team with something left to play for against the worst opponent. If Denver wins, they get the number two playoff spot. If they win and Houston loses to the Colts (very possible) the Broncos get the top playoff seed. There's a big difference between a week of rest and two games at home compared to no rest and possibly having to win two on the road to get to the Super Bowl. Denver's going to play everybody and open a huge lead, then coast in the second half. The Chiefs will let them, because what do they have to play for? Pride is even out the door for them at this woeful point. Might as well go all in on getting the top draft pick.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system.
"Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.
Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.
#StupidForty
Not much more needs to be said heading into this week. Stupid, stupid Forty Ah well, there's always next year, right? One swing game this week, and that's me in the Cincy/Baltimore game. I honestly think that Cincy is going to choke after knocking us out of the playoffs as well as get cocky after reaching the post-season two years in a row for the first time in 30 years. Which really puts things in perspective. I gave that a lot of thought after spending the holidays in Eagles country and came to a conclusion:
Steelers fans are really, really spoiled.
The Bungles are jumping for joy after getting there two years in a row. The Eagles fans have been enduring years of up and down torment. Some fans support a team that's never even gone to the Super Bowl. Yet, we in Steelers country - who rarely have to endure two years in a row not going to the post season - are crying in our beers after this bummer of a season. I've even heard people calling for Tomlin to get fired.
Calm down, people. It's not the end of the world - it just feels like it right now. Simply take this feeling, put it in a box, look at it for a moment - realizing that this is how Cleveland fans feel all the time - and just hold on to the fact that Power season is right around the corner.
Lock of the Week (Keller): San Francisco over Arizona (I think that this one could get ugly, with Jim Harbaugh running up the score to impress the poll voters, so take the points and the over): 42-14.
Jim Harbaugh is mad that his team got smoked in Seattle last week and the 49ers will have a shot at the #2 seed in the NFC. They kick off at the same time as the Packers, but Harbaugh will make sure that there is no scoreboard watching. He knows that he can win some points in the coach's poll and improve his BCS ranking with a big win on Sunday.
Seriously, though, San Francisco will play angry and Steelers West has nothing left to play for, which means BIG advantage 49ers.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): San Fran over Arizona (Hahahahahahahahahahahaha, yeah, Points and Over):
Holy baked beans with marshmallows, 16.5 favorites? How can I not take that line? AZ is basically the Honey Badger right now, and not in a good way. This is the point where they return to the days of old where they aren't even aware that the league ever expanded to a 16 game season. Nothing to play for, nothing left in the tank, and not an ounce of give-a-f- Er, I'm saying they are out of it. Meanwhile, they're playing against someone who likes to run up the score. Also, #StupidForty.
Lock of the Week (Forty): Denver over Kansas City 28-10 (The Broncos are favored by 17, that's just crazy. However, I it's in the realm of possibility and with a spread that high you probably want to take the 42 over.)
I hate to take the same Lock team two weeks in a row, but Denver is the best team with something left to play for against the worst opponent. If Denver wins, they get the number two playoff spot. If they win and Houston loses to the Colts (very possible) the Broncos get the top playoff seed. There's a big difference between a week of rest and two games at home compared to no rest and possibly having to win two on the road to get to the Super Bowl. Denver's going to play everybody and open a huge lead, then coast in the second half. The Chiefs will let them, because what do they have to play for? Pride is even out the door for them at this woeful point. Might as well go all in on getting the top draft pick.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system.
"Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.
Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.Friday, December 21, 2012
Season on the Brink: Bengals at Steelers Preview
Well, the bad news is that the game against the Cowboys sucked. The good news is that the Steelers are officially in playoff mode and it's win-or-go-home time. They seem to do better in situations like this, unless of course they're up against Tim Tebow.
This is definitely a winnable game and that's not a dig on the Bengals. The losses to the Titans, Raiders, and Browns weren't cases of the Steelers losing a winnable game, they were cases of them honking away a sure win. Yes, things change when the game actually kicks off and you commit eight turnovers, but the fact remains that they had match-up advantages pretty much everywhere on both sides of the ball in those games and failed to capitalize on those advantages.
On Sunday, they don't have a ton of match-ups in their favor, but they have enough. Cincinnati doesn't have anyone that can cover Heath Miller. Dallas had a tough time dealing with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown -- provided they held onto the ball -- and the Cowboys have a more talented secondary than the Bengals. Emmanuel Sanders will be back this week and will be at full strength. The only guys that won't play are Ike Taylor and Mike Adams, so they're healthier than they've been at any point in the season and certainly in better shape health-wise than they were for the first meeting in Cincy. Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than Andy Dalton and Dalton has struggled pretty mightily against this Steelers defense thus far in his career. BenJarvis Green-Ellis hasn't been able to get much going this season, the Bengals offensive line has been far better in pass protection than they have in the running game, and the Steelers held the Law Firm to only 69 yards in the first meeting.
I'm aware of the fact that Cincinnati has Geno Atkins and he's a very good, very disruptive player on the interior of the defensive line. But, Legursky and Ramon Foster were able to contain Atkins in the first game, to the tune of two tackles and a sack, which makes me think that Pouncey and DeCastro might actually fare better. DeCastro looked a little rough at times in his first start, but he was coming off three months of inactivity and only had three practices to get used to the line calls and the tendencies of his line mates. I think he'll be better this week and Pouncey usually steps up his level of play for big games (unless it's an actual playoff game, in which case he's usually hurt).
With all the talk about Atkins, I think people are forgetting that the Bengals have a really talented, solid front seven. They lead the league with 43 sacks. They pressure quarterbacks into making bad decisions and they're plus 3 in the turnover department (Steelers are minus 14). But... they have the same personnel that they had when the Steelers plowed them over for 167 yards in Week 7 and the offensive line for Pittsburgh has benefited from a couple of upgrades since then. Jonathan Dwyer ran for 122 yards on only 17 carries in that game. The Steelers outgained the Bengals 431-185 in that game and really dominated throughout. They just lost the field position battle and turned the ball over in the red zone.
If they can keep from committing a costly turnover -- especially a pick six, which is no sure thing with this team -- they should be able to win fairly easily.
One thing really scares the hell out of me in this game and his name is AJ Green. Without Taylor to keep Green in check, you have either Keenan Ivory Lewis or Cortez Allen or... #35, whatever his name is, it doesn't really matter because he's awful. (I know it's Josh Victorian, but that still doesn't matter because he's awful.) If Green's able to roam free, then he'll do more damage than Miles Austin and Dez Bryant put together. My guess is that they double him with Lewis and Ryan Grant and err on the side of not getting beat deep, but Green's good enough at adjusting to the ball when it's in the air that he's still open even if he's double covered.
I think that Green still runs wild, but it's kept within reason.
That's all the X's and O's and strategy, but here's the big reason I think they win on Sunday: If they lose Sunday, their season is over. This team has been maddeningly inconsistent all year, but they've always been able to find just the right time and way to break the hearts of Steelers fans all over the world.
This Sunday isn't the right time. If they lose Sunday, they're done, Steeler fans have no hope for the next week. Their hearts will be broken, sure, but their team will have lost to an up-and-coming team and, hey, the Bengals deserve a break every now and again.
Next Sunday is the right time, because they're playing Cleveland and there's every reason to believe that they absolutely should win that game and make it to the playoffs. To lose out on a post-season berth by getting beat at home by the lowly, stupid Cleveland Browns is considerably more heartbreaking.
The only thing that this team has consistently done all season is break our hearts and drive us crazy. That will continue on Sunday against the Bengals.
Prediction:
Steelers 27, Bengals 23
This is definitely a winnable game and that's not a dig on the Bengals. The losses to the Titans, Raiders, and Browns weren't cases of the Steelers losing a winnable game, they were cases of them honking away a sure win. Yes, things change when the game actually kicks off and you commit eight turnovers, but the fact remains that they had match-up advantages pretty much everywhere on both sides of the ball in those games and failed to capitalize on those advantages.
On Sunday, they don't have a ton of match-ups in their favor, but they have enough. Cincinnati doesn't have anyone that can cover Heath Miller. Dallas had a tough time dealing with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown -- provided they held onto the ball -- and the Cowboys have a more talented secondary than the Bengals. Emmanuel Sanders will be back this week and will be at full strength. The only guys that won't play are Ike Taylor and Mike Adams, so they're healthier than they've been at any point in the season and certainly in better shape health-wise than they were for the first meeting in Cincy. Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than Andy Dalton and Dalton has struggled pretty mightily against this Steelers defense thus far in his career. BenJarvis Green-Ellis hasn't been able to get much going this season, the Bengals offensive line has been far better in pass protection than they have in the running game, and the Steelers held the Law Firm to only 69 yards in the first meeting.
I'm aware of the fact that Cincinnati has Geno Atkins and he's a very good, very disruptive player on the interior of the defensive line. But, Legursky and Ramon Foster were able to contain Atkins in the first game, to the tune of two tackles and a sack, which makes me think that Pouncey and DeCastro might actually fare better. DeCastro looked a little rough at times in his first start, but he was coming off three months of inactivity and only had three practices to get used to the line calls and the tendencies of his line mates. I think he'll be better this week and Pouncey usually steps up his level of play for big games (unless it's an actual playoff game, in which case he's usually hurt).
With all the talk about Atkins, I think people are forgetting that the Bengals have a really talented, solid front seven. They lead the league with 43 sacks. They pressure quarterbacks into making bad decisions and they're plus 3 in the turnover department (Steelers are minus 14). But... they have the same personnel that they had when the Steelers plowed them over for 167 yards in Week 7 and the offensive line for Pittsburgh has benefited from a couple of upgrades since then. Jonathan Dwyer ran for 122 yards on only 17 carries in that game. The Steelers outgained the Bengals 431-185 in that game and really dominated throughout. They just lost the field position battle and turned the ball over in the red zone.
If they can keep from committing a costly turnover -- especially a pick six, which is no sure thing with this team -- they should be able to win fairly easily.
One thing really scares the hell out of me in this game and his name is AJ Green. Without Taylor to keep Green in check, you have either Keenan Ivory Lewis or Cortez Allen or... #35, whatever his name is, it doesn't really matter because he's awful. (I know it's Josh Victorian, but that still doesn't matter because he's awful.) If Green's able to roam free, then he'll do more damage than Miles Austin and Dez Bryant put together. My guess is that they double him with Lewis and Ryan Grant and err on the side of not getting beat deep, but Green's good enough at adjusting to the ball when it's in the air that he's still open even if he's double covered.
I think that Green still runs wild, but it's kept within reason.
That's all the X's and O's and strategy, but here's the big reason I think they win on Sunday: If they lose Sunday, their season is over. This team has been maddeningly inconsistent all year, but they've always been able to find just the right time and way to break the hearts of Steelers fans all over the world.
This Sunday isn't the right time. If they lose Sunday, they're done, Steeler fans have no hope for the next week. Their hearts will be broken, sure, but their team will have lost to an up-and-coming team and, hey, the Bengals deserve a break every now and again.
Next Sunday is the right time, because they're playing Cleveland and there's every reason to believe that they absolutely should win that game and make it to the playoffs. To lose out on a post-season berth by getting beat at home by the lowly, stupid Cleveland Browns is considerably more heartbreaking.
The only thing that this team has consistently done all season is break our hearts and drive us crazy. That will continue on Sunday against the Bengals.
Prediction:
Steelers 27, Bengals 23
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Pick Em Week 16
(For Pick Em Standings -- week-by-week and YTD -- click here.)
Well, the good news and bad news is that the playoffs start for the Steelers this Sunday. One and done is a possibility both of these last two weeks, and that's kind of how the Steelers like it. If Hines Ward were still around, he'd be explaining to us right now how everyone's against us, no one thinks we can make it, and we're in it for ourselves.
I don't think it's going to work worth a damn, but it's a nice thought to get us through the end of the season. Right now, the Steelers are doing a magnificent impression of pretty much every episode of VH1's Behind the Music and team continuity has gone right out the window. Whether or not Haley and Roethlisberger really are setting up a power struggle, Big Ben certainly wants us to think it. Our receivers are dropping everything that comes their way and blaming everyone but themselves. Tomlin has reached total incomprehensibly incoherent, while trying to pretend that everything's just fine and the band is going on their scheduled January tour.
That being said, Keller and I both picked them Stillers because they're going to win at least one of these last two weeks. Besides, #StupidForty is up by 6 games and we gotta do something. If the gods are smiling, Forty will drop all three swing games and his lock, and Keller and I will only be two games back in the final week.
I'd also like a new bike and a Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire Dart Blaster, Santa.
Lock of the Week (Keller): Green Bay over Tennessee (take the points and the over): 38-17.
Boy, there are a lot of great options, including the Greatriots favored by two touchdowns on the road. I think that the Broncos will keep it rolling, but there's something about the Browns at this time of year, with everyone fighting to keep their jobs, that has just enough of a spoilery quality to it to keep me away. The Packers are still fighting for a first round bye, Aaron Rodgers is still fighting to prove any naysayers wrong because he thinks they still exist, and Green Bay as a team is fighting to remind everyone that they were 15-1 last year and may not be too shabby. I watched the Packers-Bears game on Sunday and it wasn't as close as the score would indicate. I watched Jets-Titans on Monday night football and wish I could have those three hours of my life back. Tennessee needed luck and a 94 yard touchdown to beat a horrible, horrible Jets team. Take the Packers all the way to the bank and thank me later.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): New England over Jacksonville (Take the points, but the over might be pushing it):
Okay, I think Peyton's a really safe bet, but #StupidForty is going with him, and I need to have some hope. Also, RAHDGERS! is the man....but I gotta go with Brady. He lead my Crafton Cripplers to their first ever Fantasy Football Championship, so I gotta back my QB. Plus, the Pats got humiliated last week and they don't tend to let that stand.
Lock of the Week (Forty): Denver over Cleveland 34-17 (Denver's been blowing people out the last few weeks and they're at home. Take the 13 point spread and the over 44.)
I was dead wrong last week in thinking Baltimore would wake up and Denver wold lighten up. Thanks to the 49ers shocking the Patriots at home, the Broncos still have something very important to play for this late in the year. Since New England holds the tie breaker over Denver, they need to pretty much win out in order to get a first round playoff bye. No team is hotter than Denver right now, winners of nine straight. I like to look at scores and Denver has usually been scoring over 30 while holding opponents to the mid-20s or lower. Cleveland is still a team with fight in them, but they're just way overmatched here and too young to surprise a veteran Broncos team, led by Peyton Manning.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is
the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones
is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative
approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding
angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and
handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's
anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts
that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No
problem. Because he has a foolproof system.
"Arena" Weidman's
prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a
decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of
this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but
that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted
follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is
colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions
on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals
should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has
trouble with the field being way too big.
Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned
his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old
man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but
there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe
memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He
feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a
2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super
Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins,
to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't
beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble
something about Franco Harris and walk away.
Well, the good news and bad news is that the playoffs start for the Steelers this Sunday. One and done is a possibility both of these last two weeks, and that's kind of how the Steelers like it. If Hines Ward were still around, he'd be explaining to us right now how everyone's against us, no one thinks we can make it, and we're in it for ourselves.
I don't think it's going to work worth a damn, but it's a nice thought to get us through the end of the season. Right now, the Steelers are doing a magnificent impression of pretty much every episode of VH1's Behind the Music and team continuity has gone right out the window. Whether or not Haley and Roethlisberger really are setting up a power struggle, Big Ben certainly wants us to think it. Our receivers are dropping everything that comes their way and blaming everyone but themselves. Tomlin has reached total incomprehensibly incoherent, while trying to pretend that everything's just fine and the band is going on their scheduled January tour.
That being said, Keller and I both picked them Stillers because they're going to win at least one of these last two weeks. Besides, #StupidForty is up by 6 games and we gotta do something. If the gods are smiling, Forty will drop all three swing games and his lock, and Keller and I will only be two games back in the final week.
I'd also like a new bike and a Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire Dart Blaster, Santa.
Lock of the Week (Keller): Green Bay over Tennessee (take the points and the over): 38-17.
Boy, there are a lot of great options, including the Greatriots favored by two touchdowns on the road. I think that the Broncos will keep it rolling, but there's something about the Browns at this time of year, with everyone fighting to keep their jobs, that has just enough of a spoilery quality to it to keep me away. The Packers are still fighting for a first round bye, Aaron Rodgers is still fighting to prove any naysayers wrong because he thinks they still exist, and Green Bay as a team is fighting to remind everyone that they were 15-1 last year and may not be too shabby. I watched the Packers-Bears game on Sunday and it wasn't as close as the score would indicate. I watched Jets-Titans on Monday night football and wish I could have those three hours of my life back. Tennessee needed luck and a 94 yard touchdown to beat a horrible, horrible Jets team. Take the Packers all the way to the bank and thank me later.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): New England over Jacksonville (Take the points, but the over might be pushing it):
Okay, I think Peyton's a really safe bet, but #StupidForty is going with him, and I need to have some hope. Also, RAHDGERS! is the man....but I gotta go with Brady. He lead my Crafton Cripplers to their first ever Fantasy Football Championship, so I gotta back my QB. Plus, the Pats got humiliated last week and they don't tend to let that stand.
Lock of the Week (Forty): Denver over Cleveland 34-17 (Denver's been blowing people out the last few weeks and they're at home. Take the 13 point spread and the over 44.)
I was dead wrong last week in thinking Baltimore would wake up and Denver wold lighten up. Thanks to the 49ers shocking the Patriots at home, the Broncos still have something very important to play for this late in the year. Since New England holds the tie breaker over Denver, they need to pretty much win out in order to get a first round playoff bye. No team is hotter than Denver right now, winners of nine straight. I like to look at scores and Denver has usually been scoring over 30 while holding opponents to the mid-20s or lower. Cleveland is still a team with fight in them, but they're just way overmatched here and too young to surprise a veteran Broncos team, led by Peyton Manning.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is
the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones
is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative
approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding
angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and
handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's
anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts
that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No
problem. Because he has a foolproof system."Arena" Weidman's
prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a
decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of
this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but
that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted
follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is
colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions
on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals
should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has
trouble with the field being way too big.Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned
his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old
man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but
there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe
memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He
feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a
2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super
Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins,
to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't
beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble
something about Franco Harris and walk away.Thursday, December 13, 2012
Glory Hole Days: Steelers at Cowboys Preview
I've been waiting to preview this game all season, because I wanted to link to this video where Jerry Jones says that he wants the Cowboys to get back to the "glory hole days."
That's as stupid as it is funny, and it's about as stable as my prediction for this week.
Honestly, I have no idea. The Steelers are a talented team, but they're also banged up, deeply flawed, and very inconsistent. The Cowboys are a talented team, but they're also banged up, deeply flawed, and very inconsistent.
Dallas has home field advantage, but it was the Cowboys-Steelers game in 2004 that first got announcers and reporters talking about how well Pittsburgh travels. There were about 20,000 Steelers fans at that game and it got the nation's attention. The Steelers won that game and also beat the Romo-led Cowboys at Heinz Field in 2008. But, Dallas also hosted Super Bowl XLV and that didn't work out so well for the Steelers.
I know Ben Roethlisberger looked awfully rusty -- almost like a guy who hadn't played in a month or something -- but I also know that he's better than he showed against the Chargers and should play better against a Dallas secondary that has some injury issues.
I don't know what's wrong with Mike Wallace, but I know that he's an extremely talented player that can break a game wide open (like he did against the Giants). Whether or not he gets his head straight this week, I have no idea.
I know Keenan Ivory Lewis and Cortez Allen looked pretty lost starting their first game together, but Dick LeBeau was probably pretty lost without Ike Taylor. Ike's been in every game since 2004 and that had to be an adjustment for LeBeau. And for the rest of the secondary, kind of like when Ryan Clark missed those two games against the Broncos.
Mike Tomlin has coached through this season like he forgot to take his Adderall, but it's not like he's suddenly forgotten everything that has made him successful. He's got a strong, veteran roster that doesn't seem to care too much what Rashard Mendenhall does or doesn't do/Tweet. I don't think there's as much discord in the locker room as we've been led to believe.
Looking at the match-ups on the offensive line, it's crazy to think that a team that got shredded by San Diego's front four last week could hold up against the likes of DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. But it also would've been crazy to assume they could hold up against Terrell Suggs and Jarrett Johnson, yet they did just that in the two games against the hated Ravens.
Sure, they looked like total crap against the Chargers and probably deserved to lose by more than they did. They also looked like total crap against the Browns, then went on the road and beat Baltimore with their third string quarterback. Since everyone's down on them this week, they probably have the "no one outside this locker room believed we could do it" mentality, even though the current Vegas line has them favored by a point.
So...
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT, STEELERS. JUST TRY TO PROVE ME WRONG.
Prediction:
Steelers 27, Cowboys 23
That's as stupid as it is funny, and it's about as stable as my prediction for this week.
Honestly, I have no idea. The Steelers are a talented team, but they're also banged up, deeply flawed, and very inconsistent. The Cowboys are a talented team, but they're also banged up, deeply flawed, and very inconsistent.
Dallas has home field advantage, but it was the Cowboys-Steelers game in 2004 that first got announcers and reporters talking about how well Pittsburgh travels. There were about 20,000 Steelers fans at that game and it got the nation's attention. The Steelers won that game and also beat the Romo-led Cowboys at Heinz Field in 2008. But, Dallas also hosted Super Bowl XLV and that didn't work out so well for the Steelers.
I know Ben Roethlisberger looked awfully rusty -- almost like a guy who hadn't played in a month or something -- but I also know that he's better than he showed against the Chargers and should play better against a Dallas secondary that has some injury issues.
I don't know what's wrong with Mike Wallace, but I know that he's an extremely talented player that can break a game wide open (like he did against the Giants). Whether or not he gets his head straight this week, I have no idea.
I know Keenan Ivory Lewis and Cortez Allen looked pretty lost starting their first game together, but Dick LeBeau was probably pretty lost without Ike Taylor. Ike's been in every game since 2004 and that had to be an adjustment for LeBeau. And for the rest of the secondary, kind of like when Ryan Clark missed those two games against the Broncos.
Mike Tomlin has coached through this season like he forgot to take his Adderall, but it's not like he's suddenly forgotten everything that has made him successful. He's got a strong, veteran roster that doesn't seem to care too much what Rashard Mendenhall does or doesn't do/Tweet. I don't think there's as much discord in the locker room as we've been led to believe.
Looking at the match-ups on the offensive line, it's crazy to think that a team that got shredded by San Diego's front four last week could hold up against the likes of DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. But it also would've been crazy to assume they could hold up against Terrell Suggs and Jarrett Johnson, yet they did just that in the two games against the hated Ravens.
Sure, they looked like total crap against the Chargers and probably deserved to lose by more than they did. They also looked like total crap against the Browns, then went on the road and beat Baltimore with their third string quarterback. Since everyone's down on them this week, they probably have the "no one outside this locker room believed we could do it" mentality, even though the current Vegas line has them favored by a point.
So...
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT, STEELERS. JUST TRY TO PROVE ME WRONG.
Prediction:
Steelers 27, Cowboys 23
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Pick Em Week 15
(For Pick Em standings -- week-by-week and YTD -- click here.)
We are fully into garbage time of the season. Well, except for our division, but then, our division is mostly garbage, so there's that. I could recap what I said last week about teams that don't care, teams that care too much and spoilers...but you'll see below that Forty already did that in his lock section.
For a brief note on the Steelers: Keller has some wishful thinking going on, I think. I know that Steelers/Cowboys runs deep in him, and he really needs a win in order to function, but I just don't see it. If the Steelers get it up for their last two (divisional) games, they're in the post-season no matter what happens this weekend. I haven't seen anything out of the Steelers this season that says they'll play hard against an no-matter team, especially when they know they're going to rock hard the next week in anger. I also haven't seen the Steelers dig down to their "have to" yet this season. They've won by the same factor that will be the only thing to get them into the playoffs: luck.
Speaking of Stupid Forty (Hash tag it, baby. #StupidForty), he's got this bad boy all but locked up. If he fails now, he has no one to blame but himself. Without further ado, here's the pics.
Lock of the Week (Keller): Texans over Colts (the line is a bit steep at -9, but definitely take the over at 48) Texans 34, Colts 27.
Pretty slim pickings here for Locks, with Houston currently holding the biggest line. I think that Lions-Cardinals line might move up a bit throughout the course of the week, but I don't think it gets higher than 7. This line might creep down to 7 or 6.5 at some point, so jump on 6.5 and the over if that happens. I don't think there's a way that the Texans drop this one: They're at home, they have a chance to clinch the division, and Andrew Luck has been very average on the road this season. Top it off with the fact that Houston got embarrassed in prime time this week (stupid Forty, stupid Weidman), remembering they smoked the hated Ravens the week after getting blown out by the Packers earlier this season on a Sunday night, and I'd say this is as much of a Lock as we're gonna get in Week 15.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): Detroit over Steelers West 21-17 (I think this game will be close-ish, so take the under)
In honor of my season of Pick 'Em being over, I figured I'd pick a lock between two teams in the same situation. Aside from one recent year, I just can't bring myself to pick the Cards often. We're almost at the end, and they still haven't figured out the whole QBing thing. Detroit's not much better of a team, but they're still better.
Lock of the Week (Forty): New England over San Francisco 34-14 (My score is probably way off from what the ‘experts’ are saying, but the Pats have been so strong at home. Take the Pats with the points and the over.)
There are no sure Locks in my mind this week. This late in the season, you have several teams who have clinched what they need to and are taking their foot off the gas. You also have other teams struggling to make a playoff spot and it’s hard to say who will rise to the top, the Steelers vs. the Cowboys are a prime example. Then you have a bunch of garbage games that nobody cares about.
Not even the players’ mothers are going to watch Oakland and Kansas City. Hell, probably the most interesting story this week is if the Redskins can continue their role without RGIII against a surging, Browns squad.
This is probably the only time this season I’ll have two division leaders in my Lock. The Patriots have been dominant at home in the second half of the season. The past two home games saw them score 42 points on the Texans and 59 on the Colts, both teams with winning records. The 49ers have been solid on the road, but dropped their last road game to division rival St. Louis. Pats coach Bill Belichick loves to stick it to a young quarterback (reference Luck, Andrew) and should have his guys all over Colin Kaepernick. After beating the Texans, Belichick can sense the overall number one seed in his grasp, giving the Pats home field advantage throughout the playoffs. He wants that, oh yes he does.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system.
"Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.
Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.
We are fully into garbage time of the season. Well, except for our division, but then, our division is mostly garbage, so there's that. I could recap what I said last week about teams that don't care, teams that care too much and spoilers...but you'll see below that Forty already did that in his lock section.
For a brief note on the Steelers: Keller has some wishful thinking going on, I think. I know that Steelers/Cowboys runs deep in him, and he really needs a win in order to function, but I just don't see it. If the Steelers get it up for their last two (divisional) games, they're in the post-season no matter what happens this weekend. I haven't seen anything out of the Steelers this season that says they'll play hard against an no-matter team, especially when they know they're going to rock hard the next week in anger. I also haven't seen the Steelers dig down to their "have to" yet this season. They've won by the same factor that will be the only thing to get them into the playoffs: luck.
Speaking of Stupid Forty (Hash tag it, baby. #StupidForty), he's got this bad boy all but locked up. If he fails now, he has no one to blame but himself. Without further ado, here's the pics.
Lock of the Week (Keller): Texans over Colts (the line is a bit steep at -9, but definitely take the over at 48) Texans 34, Colts 27.
Pretty slim pickings here for Locks, with Houston currently holding the biggest line. I think that Lions-Cardinals line might move up a bit throughout the course of the week, but I don't think it gets higher than 7. This line might creep down to 7 or 6.5 at some point, so jump on 6.5 and the over if that happens. I don't think there's a way that the Texans drop this one: They're at home, they have a chance to clinch the division, and Andrew Luck has been very average on the road this season. Top it off with the fact that Houston got embarrassed in prime time this week (stupid Forty, stupid Weidman), remembering they smoked the hated Ravens the week after getting blown out by the Packers earlier this season on a Sunday night, and I'd say this is as much of a Lock as we're gonna get in Week 15.
Lock of the Week (Weidman): Detroit over Steelers West 21-17 (I think this game will be close-ish, so take the under)
In honor of my season of Pick 'Em being over, I figured I'd pick a lock between two teams in the same situation. Aside from one recent year, I just can't bring myself to pick the Cards often. We're almost at the end, and they still haven't figured out the whole QBing thing. Detroit's not much better of a team, but they're still better.
Lock of the Week (Forty): New England over San Francisco 34-14 (My score is probably way off from what the ‘experts’ are saying, but the Pats have been so strong at home. Take the Pats with the points and the over.)
There are no sure Locks in my mind this week. This late in the season, you have several teams who have clinched what they need to and are taking their foot off the gas. You also have other teams struggling to make a playoff spot and it’s hard to say who will rise to the top, the Steelers vs. the Cowboys are a prime example. Then you have a bunch of garbage games that nobody cares about.
Not even the players’ mothers are going to watch Oakland and Kansas City. Hell, probably the most interesting story this week is if the Redskins can continue their role without RGIII against a surging, Browns squad.
This is probably the only time this season I’ll have two division leaders in my Lock. The Patriots have been dominant at home in the second half of the season. The past two home games saw them score 42 points on the Texans and 59 on the Colts, both teams with winning records. The 49ers have been solid on the road, but dropped their last road game to division rival St. Louis. Pats coach Bill Belichick loves to stick it to a young quarterback (reference Luck, Andrew) and should have his guys all over Colin Kaepernick. After beating the Texans, Belichick can sense the overall number one seed in his grasp, giving the Pats home field advantage throughout the playoffs. He wants that, oh yes he does.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system."Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Pick Em Week 14
(For Pick 'Em Standings -- week-by-week and YTD -- click here.)
Are we really this close to the end of the season already? Is it really December? Have I really not started my Christmas shopping yet?
Well, it's looking more and more like my Christmas gift to Forty will be a victory in Pick 'Em 2012, that's for sure.
We're at the part of the season where picking takes on a slightly different tactic. Rather than looking at the match-ups and records themselves, you need to look more at the situation. Some teams <cough Steelers cough> are right on the bubble and need to play some smash-mouth down the stretch. On the other end of the spectrum are teams like the Pats and Falcons who have locked their divisions and can lay back a bit if they want (which is why I can see Keller's pick below, I just don't agree with it.) Finally, there's my favorite late-season disease: Spoileritus. The Browns haven't had much going for them over the years, but at least they know they always have that late-season possibility of ruining some team's season for them.
As shaky as the 49ers have been as a Lock (at Minnesota, that freakin' tie against the Rams), I trust them the most here. There are two other double-digit spreads out there (Denver/Oakland and Seattle/Arizona), but those are both division games and anything can happen. Plus which, the Broncos are on the road. Jim Harbaugh's team is also money after a humiliating loss. They smoked the Jets and Bills in back-to-back games after they lost to the Vikings and then tore Chicago apart the week after their tie with St. Louis. I trust these guys to bounce back. I don't care how many tattoos their quarterback has, '9ers all the way.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system.
"Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.
Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.
Are we really this close to the end of the season already? Is it really December? Have I really not started my Christmas shopping yet?
Well, it's looking more and more like my Christmas gift to Forty will be a victory in Pick 'Em 2012, that's for sure.
We're at the part of the season where picking takes on a slightly different tactic. Rather than looking at the match-ups and records themselves, you need to look more at the situation. Some teams <cough Steelers cough> are right on the bubble and need to play some smash-mouth down the stretch. On the other end of the spectrum are teams like the Pats and Falcons who have locked their divisions and can lay back a bit if they want (which is why I can see Keller's pick below, I just don't agree with it.) Finally, there's my favorite late-season disease: Spoileritus. The Browns haven't had much going for them over the years, but at least they know they always have that late-season possibility of ruining some team's season for them.
Lock of the Week (Keller): San Francisco over Miami (the 49ers should cover any spread under two touchdowns and take the under): 27-7
Lock of the Week (Weidman): Broncos over Raiders, cover and under. 21-7
Keller's right - it's a divisional game and anything can happen, but that doesn't change the fact that Denver is still the way better team. "Spoileritus" concerns aside, I still don't see Peyton slacking off anymore now than I did a few weeks ago. One concern for the Broncos is that Stokley is questionable for this game, however, they have plenty of depth without him - and the Raiders still suck.
Keller's right - it's a divisional game and anything can happen, but that doesn't change the fact that Denver is still the way better team. "Spoileritus" concerns aside, I still don't see Peyton slacking off anymore now than I did a few weeks ago. One concern for the Broncos is that Stokley is questionable for this game, however, they have plenty of depth without him - and the Raiders still suck.
Lock of the Week (Forty): Seattle over Arizona 28-12 (The odds on this is one of the weirdest I've seen. The under is an insanely low 34.5, but the spread is 11.5. As you can see with the numbers I play with below, the spread is super iffy, but with an over/under that low, you've got to take the over.)
Seattle is undefeated at home and Arizona only has one win on the road. That win came against the Patriots and the Cards were 4-0 before losing eight in a row, including only putting six points up against the Jets last week. Sure, they only put up seven points, but it was with a third string quarterback at the helm. The Jets only put seven on Seattle too, but the Seahawks responded with 28 points. Seattle has averaged about 24 points at home while the Cards have only done about 12 points on average in their road losses. What does this all mean? I figured I would just throw a bunch of numbers out there to befuddle you and hope Seattle's home mojo holds out.
Seattle is undefeated at home and Arizona only has one win on the road. That win came against the Patriots and the Cards were 4-0 before losing eight in a row, including only putting six points up against the Jets last week. Sure, they only put up seven points, but it was with a third string quarterback at the helm. The Jets only put seven on Seattle too, but the Seahawks responded with 28 points. Seattle has averaged about 24 points at home while the Cards have only done about 12 points on average in their road losses. What does this all mean? I figured I would just throw a bunch of numbers out there to befuddle you and hope Seattle's home mojo holds out.
Meet the "Experts":
Brad "QBERT" Keller is the inventor and sole proprietor of the QBERT (Quantitative BERT jones is awesome) system for rating quarterbacks. Using this innovative approach and working tirelessly part time breaking down film and finding angles inside the angles, he has mastered the art of picking and handicapping NFL games. With an expanded playing field this season, he's anxious to defend his title against a formidable group of experts that... hey, you know what? He can beat these two jokers, right? No problem. Because he has a foolproof system."Arena" Weidman's prime qualification for this contest is that he's spent more than a decade watching Steelers games with Keller while drinking. Because of this, most of his picks might seem like they were done while drunk, but that's just a facet of how he gets into "recall mode." A devoted follower of the Arena Football League, Weidman's NFL world view is colored through this lens. Because of this, he possesses strong opinions on why more people should go to Power games and how the the Cardinals should really be using the Rattlers as a farm team. Mainly, he just has trouble with the field being way too big.Leonard "Forty" Hayhurst earned his nickname for his ability to grow the facial hair of a 40-year-old man at the age of 16, not his ability to pound 40s of King Cobra, but there's that too. He owns the largest collection of Drew Bledsoe memorabilia in the world (five items would be the largest, right?). He feels for Cleveland Browns fans because when he started rooting for a 2-14 club in the New England Patriots, they eventually won three Super Bowls. Then Steelers fans brag about how they have six Super Bowl wins, to which Leonard says they would have had eight if the Patriots hadn't beaten them twice in the AFC Championship game. They then mumble something about Franco Harris and walk away.
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