NFL Pick 'em 2012: Week 17 - Divisional match-up extravaganza!

[Dragon]

Sunday, Dec 30
TB @ ATL
NYJ @ BUF
BAL @ CIN
CHI @ DET
JAX @ TEN
HOU @ IND
CAR @ NO
PHI @ NYG
CLE @ PIT

OAK @ SD
ARI @ SF
STL @ SEA
GB @ MIN
MIA @ NE
KC @ DEN

DAL @ WAS


Survivor:
Dragon: PHI, SD, NO, BAL, CHI, ARI, GB, CHI, SEA, PIT, CIN, DEN, SF, IND, DET, NE
Liam Jinn: SEA, SF, WAS, TB, CHI, HOU, IND, GB, CIN, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---
Kolrad: MIN, NE, DAL, BAL, NYG, ATL, GB, CHI, HOU, PIT, NO, DEN, CLE, IND, TEN, ---
Rutabaga: NE, DAL, SF, ARI, BAL, HOU, BUF, CHI, DEN, PIT, TB, CAR, NYG, ---, ---, ---
Ryan Pode: CHI, MIN, BUF, ARI, NYG, ATL, CLE, ---, HOU, PHI, ---, DEN, ---, NE, DET, BAL
Park Kraken: NO, WAS, SF, NE, NYG, ATL, OAK, GB, HOU, PIT, CIN, DEN, CAR, SEA, DET, KC

[Dragon]

Yep, in keeping with the NFL's attempt to diminish the number of meaningless games in the final week of the season, all week 17 games are division match-ups. Here are the most interesting playoff races yet to be settled:

Houston (12-3) has the inside track on the #1 seed in the AFC because they beat Denver (12-3) early in the season. However, if they lose to Indy and Denver beats Kansas City, Denver will take it. Not terribly unlikely, except that it'll be a nearly meaningless game to the Colts, who are already assured a wild card.

The Patriots (11-4) could steal the #2 seed, but only if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs. That seems unlikely. Meanwhile, the Ravens (10-5) with their early victory over the Patriots could make the fairly meaningless jump from #4 to #3 if the Patriots lose to the Dolphins. That also seems unlikely.

The 49ers' (10-4-1) loss to Seattle (10-5) last night means the Packers (11-4) currently hold the #2 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it. But to secure it, they'll have to beat the Vikings (9-6), who risk losing their wild card spot with a loss. Meanwhile, the 49ers must now beat the Cardinals in Arizona to keep the Seahawks from taking the division title and leaving San Francisco with a wild card berth.

Speaking of wild cards, the next team up for that #6 NFC wild card spot is the Bears (9-6), who need a victory and a Vikings loss to get in. If both teams lose, the door could be open for a second-place NFC East team - the Redskins if they lose to the Cowboys (8-7), or the Giants (8-7) if they beat the Eagles and the Cowboys lose.

And, finally and most obviously, the Sunday Night game between Washington and Dallas is for the NFC East championship and the #4 seed. Washington still has a way in if they lose, but Dallas's poor NFC record means they have no shot at a wild card.


P.S.: My brother pointed out that the Seahawks still have a chance to get the #2 seed. They need a victory and a 49ers loss to take the division. That'll put them at 11-5. Then they need the Packers to fall to 11-5. The Seahawks would then win the tiebreaker thanks to their Fail Mary victory over the Packers back in Week 3.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Kinda sucks that the "Fail Mary" play could potentially have playoff implications.

Sunday, Dec 30
(W) TB @ ATL
NYJ @ BUF (W)
(W) BAL @ CIN
CHI @ DET (W)
JAX @ TEN (W)
HOU @ IND (W)
CAR @ NO (W)
PHI @ NYG (W)
CLE @ PIT (W)

OAK @ SD (W)
ARI @ SF (W)
STL @ SEA (W)
(W) GB @ MIN
MIA @ NE (W)
KC @ DEN (W)

DAL @ WAS (W)

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Sunday, Dec 30
TB @ ATL (W)
NYJ @ BUF (W) - I'm renaming this one the "You take it. I don't want it Bowl" Cause I don't think either of these teams actually want a win.
BAL (W) @ CIN
CHI (W) @ DET
JAX @ TEN (W)
HOU (W) @ IND
CAR @ NO (W)
PHI @ NYG (W)
CLE @ PIT (W)

OAK @ SD (W)
ARI @ SF (W)
STL @ SEA (W)
GB (W) @ MIN
MIA @ NE (W)
KC @ DEN (W)

DAL @ WAS (W)

[Dragon]

Kinda sucks that the "Fail Mary" play could potentially have playoff implications.

Yes, but at least the Seahawks have helped the Packers out a great deal by beating the 49ers and opening the door to them for the first-round bye. It's Green Bay's spot to lose. Granted, if the Packers had won that game, the Seahawks' grasp on the wild card spot would be more tenuous, and Green Bay might be able to contend for home field advantage if the Falcons lose to the Buccaneers this week. I don't know how the tiebreakers shake out.


Sunday, Dec 30
TB WIN @ ATL
NYJ @ BUF WIN
BAL @ CIN WIN
CHI @ DET WIN
JAX WIN @ TEN
HOU WIN @ IND
CAR @ NO WIN
PHI @ NYG WIN
CLE @ PIT WIN

OAK WIN @ SD
ARI @ SF WIN
STL @ SEA WIN
GB WIN @ MIN
MIA @ NE WIN
KC @ DEN WIN

DAL @ WAS WIN


Survivor: Buffalo

[Rutabaga]

Sunday, Dec 30
TB @ ATL WIN
NYJ WIN @ BUF
BAL WIN @ CIN
CHI WIN @ DET
JAX @ TEN WIN
HOU WIN @ IND
CAR @ NO WIN
PHI @ NYG WIN
CLE @ PIT WIN

OAK @ SD WIN
ARI @ SF WIN
STL @ SEA WIN
GB WIN @ MIN
MIA @ NE WIN
KC @ DEN WIN

DAL @ WAS WIN

[Ryan Pode]

This is tedious as hell on a phone but:

ATL
BUF
BAL
CHI
JAX
HOU
NO
NYG
PIT
SD
SF
SEA
MIN
NE
DEN
DAL

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Aaaauuuuugh I forgot to check my fantasy team and I have two guys not playing at all on my active roster *tears out hair*

I guess I won't be #2 for much longer. :(

Yes, I know there's a fantasy thread but I couldn't find it in the first two pages so I just stopped looking.

[Park Kraken]

Ugh, I knew there was something I forgot to do while on vacation. Well, maybe I can take the worst -1 on the early games and make the late picks, which I would hate to pass up. So.....

OAK @ SD (W)
ARI @ SF (W)
STL @ SEA (W)
GB @ MIN (W)
MIA @ NE (W)
KC @ DEN (W)


DAL (W) @ WAS

[Rutabaga]

Yay for the Niners winning the NFC West! :eee

But I have to admit I have serious doubts about them making it through the playoffs. They've just been too erratic lately. :grumble

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well the NFC is hard to figure out. I give Atlanta the edge but several teams could go to SB from there. The Redskins will be a team to reckon with, especially with RG3 and their impressive defense.

[Dragon]

And that's the regular season! Rutabaga has a pretty comfortable lead, seeing as there are only eleven games left, but it's a tight four-way race for second. Meanwhile, Kolrad is far and away the survivor champion. Congratulations!


Week 17 Tally:
Nathanial K'cansce: 12-4
Kyran O'Hurn: 11-5
Dragon: 10-6
Rutabaga: 10-6
Ryan Pode: 10-6
Park Kraken 9-7 (3-6 + 6-1)
Kolrad: 8-8 (did not pick)
Liam Jinn: 8-8 (did not pick)


Total Tally:
Rutabaga: 170-86
Kyran O'Hurn: 162-94
Dragon: 161-95
Nathanial K'cansce: 161-95
Ryan Pode: 161-95
Park Kraken: 152-104
Kolrad: 148-108
Liam Jinn: 145-111


Survivor:
Dragon: PHI, SD, NO, BAL, CHI, ARI, GB, CHI, SEA, PIT, CIN, DEN, SF, IND, DET, NE, BUF
Liam Jinn: SEA, SF, WAS, TB, CHI, HOU, IND, GB, CIN, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---, ---
Kolrad: MIN, NE, DAL, BAL, NYG, ATL, GB, CHI, HOU, PIT, NO, DEN, CLE, IND, TEN, ---, ---
Rutabaga: NE, DAL, SF, ARI, BAL, HOU, BUF, CHI, DEN, PIT, TB, CAR, NYG, ---, ---, ---
Ryan Pode: CHI, MIN, BUF, ARI, NYG, ATL, CLE, ---, HOU, PHI, ---, DEN, ---, NE, DET, BAL, ---
Park Kraken: NO, WAS, SF, NE, NYG, ATL, OAK, GB, HOU, PIT, CIN, DEN, CAR, SEA, DET, KC ---

[Ryan Pode]

Give me the Vikings, Ravens, and Seahawks.