NFL Pick 'em 2010: Week 19 - Divisional Round

[Dragon]

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT
GB @ ATL

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI
NYJ @ NE

[Anne Phoenix]

Saturday, January 15
BAL (W) @ PIT
GB (W) @ ATL

Sunday, January 16
SEA (W) (S) @ CHI
NYJ (W) @ NE

Yarrr, upsets ahoy! :lol
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[Jedi Master Carr]

Baltimore
Green Bay
Chicago
New England

[Rutabaga]

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT WIN
GB @ ATL WIN

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI WIN
NYJ @ NE WIN

[Dragon]

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT WIN
GB WIN @ ATL

Sunday, January 16
SEA WIN @ CHI
NYJ @ NE WIN

I need some upset help to catch up with the leaders... And yet, I truly do see the Jets over the Patriots as the least likely result this week. Doesn't help that the Jets have crossed into cloud cuckooland with their trash-talking. Now I have to weigh my dislike of the Patriots against the specter of another week of gibbering insanity out of New York.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT (W)
GB @ ATL (W)

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI (W)
NYJ @ NE (W)

[Liam Jinn]

Saturday, January 15
BAL (W) @ PIT
GB (W) @ ATL

Sunday, January 16
SEA (W) @ CHI
NYJ @ NE (W)

[Figrin D'an]

Saturday, January 15

BAL (W) @ PIT - Games between these two are always fun to watch. Should be a close affair once again, but I think the Ravens are due to win a playoff game at Heinz Field.

GB (W) @ ATL - If Atlanta doesn't make any mistakes, they probably will win. It's what they do. Sounds fundamentally in every facet. Green Bay will need to be +2 in the turnover ratio to help negate the Falcon's ball possession offense. Game will come down to either Rodgers or Ryan making a couple of big plays in the passing game.


Sunday, January 16

SEA @ CHI (W) - Seattle's front four on defense played great last week. That should concern Chicago, whom I am still convinced cannot protect Cutler. Still, Chicago can run the ball better than New Orleans could, and plays more consistent defense. With two weeks to prepare, losing this game would be pretty embarrassing.

NYJ @ NE (W) - I get the feeling that the Jets are trying to talk themselves into some self confidence. Giving a 3-time Super Bowl winning, Hall of Fame quarterback any bulletin board material is just stupid.

[Yog]

I've been too busy to think about football lately, but I'll pick these just for fun. :)

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT (W)
GB @ ATL (W)

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI (W)
NYJ @ NE (W)

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Saturday, January 15
BAL @ PIT (W)
(W) GB @ ATL

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI (W)
(W) NYJ @ NE

[Ryan Pode]

Saturday, January 15
BAL Win @ PIT
GB @ ATL Win

Sunday, January 16
SEA @ CHI Win
NYJ Win @ NE

[Dragon]

Ho. Lee. Crap.

I knew we'd have a great game between the Steelers and Ravens, but I didn't expect to outdo the 2008 AFC Championship game. Props to the Ravens for playing with such intensity; even as a die-hard Steelers fan, I love the way they play, and I'd have rooted for them over either the Jets or the Patriots.

What a tale of two halves. The Steelers just had one of the best postseason comebacks in recent memory.

[Rutabaga]

For a few weeks, I've been predicting a Patriots-Falcons Super Bowl. I am now hereby changing that prediction to Patriots-Packers. :lol :eek :mischief

[Dragon]

You know you want to see Steelers-Seahawks again. :mneh

Seriously, this is an epic beatdown by the Packers. As dominant as the Falcons have been in Atlanta, I'm really surprised. I don't see either the Bears or the Seahawks beating this Packers team, not unless they start beating themselves.

[Figrin D'an]

Seriously, this is an epic beatdown by the Packers. As dominant as the Falcons have been in Atlanta, I'm really surprised. I don't see either the Bears or the Seahawks beating this Packers team, not unless they start beating themselves.

The Bears would have a decent shot next week. As cool as it would be to have an old-school Packer/Bear grudge match to decide the Super Bowl berth, as a Packer fan, I would much rather play Seattle. I'm pretty confident Rodgers would carve up the Seahawks defense. But, we'll just have to see what happens tomorrow afternoon.

No doubt, Green Bay is firing on all cylinders right now. Even though Starks didn't have 100 yards rushing tonight, he had some good hard-nosed runs and the threat of the running game kept Atlanta's defense completely off balance the entire night. I was glad to see aggressive play-calling by Mike McCarthy.

However, things can turn on a dime quickly. There's a lot to like about how Green Bay is playing, and I'm certainly quite happy, but there are no guarantees.

[Dragon]

True, there always is an equalizing force in divisional games, one of the reasons the Steelers and Ravens are always so competitive. Pretty much the only times I've seen the Bears in my market, they've looked somewhere between shaky and atrocious, so I'm sure my view of them is slanted. I tend to think of them as Another Boring NFC Team, along with the Redskins, Buccaneers, and everybody in the West.

[Figrin D'an]

Jets played well defensively. Once they decided to play man coverage, Brady's options became limited and he had to hold to ball much longer.

Not much of a surprise in Chicago. Seattle did at least make it respectable late, but honestly, their Super Bowl was last week, and they just didn't have it today.

[Anne Phoenix]

Honestly was not expecting the Jets to win, even though I did pick them. So both #1 seeds are out of the playoffs in the same weekend, and the picture changes now for quite a few people.

Looking over the picks, looks like Nathaniel was the only person to correctly call all four games for a perfect weekend.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Yea, that's right. I am a future seer. :cool:

[Dragon]

A future seer? So you're not one yet? :mneh

Okay, let's do this thing:

Weekly Tally
Nathanial K'cansce: 4-0
Anne Phoenix: 2-2
Dragon: 2-2
Figrin D'an: 2-2
Jedi Master Carr: 2-2
Miranda Tarkin: 2-2
Rutabaga: 2-2
Yog: 2-2
Liam Jinn: 1-3
Ryan Pode: 1-3


Season Totals

1. Rutabaga: 165-99 (163)
2. Nathanial K'cansce: 164-100 (160)
2. Jedi Master Carr: 164-100 (162)
4. Ryan Pode: 162-102 (161)
5. Anne Phoenix: 161-103 (159)
6. Miranda Tarkin: 160-104 (158)
7. Dragon: 159-105 (157)
7. Figrin D'an: 159-105 (156)
9. Liam Jinn: 157-107 (156)
9. Yog: 157-107 (155)

Only three games left, and with his stunning surge this weekend*, Nathanial K'cansce has arisen to join Jedi Master Carr** as the only possible challengers to take sole ownership of the lead away from Rutabaga. However, JMC and Ryan Pode can still tie Rutabaga's current score. Will we have a split championship? Will we see (I believe) the first female champion of the SW-Fans NFL Pick 'em contest?


*The league is looking into unconfirmed reports that Nathanial K'cansce was seen videotaping practices before this weekend's games and/or standing too close to the sideline during punt returns.

**In an unrelated matter, league officials are also investigating the commissioner for omitting JMC's picks. The commissioner has been fined $75,000, a ruling which he is expected to appeal.

[Anne Phoenix]

Uhhh, JMC did in fact pick (see post#3) and ended up 2-2, which means they are still in the title contendorship.

[Dragon]

I surely don't know what you are talking about as JMC's picks are there and clearly have always been there! ^_^;