Once again, the brass here at TABMathletics marvelously navigate the waters. Despite another 11 games decided by one possession, I put together one of the best possible weeks. Save for the final-minute defensive gaffe by the Panthers and the poor late-game clock management by the Eagles, this was a perfect week. Literally. Just take a look…
Games of the Week (3 points)
(11) St. Louis Rams at (9) Atlanta Falcons
(14) Washington Redskins at (7) Green Bay Packers
(15) Minnesota Vikings at (8) Chicago Bears
(3) Denver Broncos at (12) New York Giants
(2) San Francisco 49ers at (4) Seattle Seahawks
Non-GOTW Divisional Games (2 points each)
(25) New York Jets at (1) New England Patriots
(23) Tennessee Titans at (5) Houston Texans
(30) Cleveland Browns at (6) Baltimore Ravens **Lock of the Week**
(10) New Orleans Saints at (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(26) Pittsburgh Steelers at (17) Cincinnati Bengals
The Rest (1 point each)
(24) San Diego Chargers at (27) Philadelphia Eagles
(13) Dallas Cowboys at (29) Kansas City Chiefs **Upset of the Week**
(16) Miami Dolphins at (20) Indianapolis Colts
(19) Carolina Panthers at (28) Buffalo Bills
(18) Detroit Lions at (22) Arizona Cardinals
(32) Jacksonville Jaguars at (31) Oakland Raiders
Two mistakes, and that’s it. Heck, if even I didn’t change my week-to-week predictions from the 2013 season predictions, I would have back-to-back 12-4 weeks. It ends up my two changes (Dolphins over Colts, Saints over Buccaneers) worked out just fine. It’s truly an exciting start to the 2013 season in the Pick’em:
- This week’s record and points: 14-2 and 29 points
- Overall record and points: 26-6 and 50 points
- Games of the Week: 5-0 this week (7-2 overall)
- Divisional Games: 7-0 this week (13-0 overall) [includes 3-0 in GOTW]
- Upset of the Week: 2-0 overall (35 ranking points)
- Lock of the Week: 2-0 overall (Colts, Ravens)
What’s truly outstanding is that 13-0 record in divisional games. Usually, divisional games are extremely tough to predict, save for the match-ups between the elite teams and the bad teams. Putting a perfect 13 so far truly shows some luck — and some skill. On the flip side, the conference crossover matches aren’t working out in my favor. So far, I only correctly predicted two of those six games. Elsewhere, I own a 24-2 record. If only I could translate that conference record to an actual football team…
Now for the competition. I wanted this to be a 1 v. 25 battle, so I selected experts from several different publications. Writing some freelance stuff for Cold, Hard Football Facts, I figure that website would provide a great litmus test. Meanwhile, I figure another publication that could provide a litmus test would be Football Outsiders. Of course, there needs to be that mainstream presence. Thus, the competition also includes the 13 experts from ESPN who publish their picks online and the eight experts from NFL Network who work on either Gameday Morning or Playbook. Finally, we close the competition panel with Pete Prisco of CBS Sports and Don Banks of Sports Illustrated. They provide at least some perspective from other top publications.
As it stands through Week 2, the TABMathletics authority holds strong. Nobody in this competition did better than 14-2, and I got the best score possible for anybody with two losses. Does that make me the top expert?
- TABMathletics: 26-6 and 50 points
- Don Banks, Sports Illustrated: 25-7 and 50 points
- Cris Carter, ESPN: 25-7 and 50 points
- Steve Mariucci, NFLN Gameday Morning: 25-7 and 50 points
- Cold, Hard Football Facts: 24-8 and 48 points
- KC Joyner, ESPN: 24-8 and 48 points
- Mark Schlereth, ESPN: 23-9 and 46 points
- Chris Mortensen, ESPN: 23-9 and 45 points
- Ron Jaworski, ESPN: 23-9 and 44 points
- Warren Sapp, NFLN Gameday Morning: 23-9 and 43 points
- Tom Jackson, ESPN: 23-9 and 42 points
- Adam Schefter, ESPN: 22-10 and 47 points
- Michael Irvin, NFLN Gameday Morning: 22-10 and 43 points
- Sterling Sharpe, NFLN Playbook: 22-10 and 43 points
- Merril Hoge, ESPN: 21-11 and 45 points
- Kurt Warner, NFLN Gameday Morning: 21-11 and 44 points
- Football Outsiders: 21-11 and 43 points
- Erik Allen, ESPN: 21-11 and 42 points
- Mike Ditka, ESPN: 21-11 and 42 points
- Marshall Faulk, NFLN Gameday Morning: 21-11 and 41 points
- Mike Golic, ESPN: 20-12 and 42 points
- Seth Wickersham, ESPN: 20-12 and 41 points
- Keyshawn Johnson, ESPN: 20-12 and 38 points
- Shaun O’Hara, NFLN Playbook: 19-13 and 39 points
- Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 19-13 and 39 points
- Brian Baldinger, NFLN Playbook: 18-14 and 35 points
Indeed, it does! It’s good to be king. Hopefully, I can keep this up next week. Until then…