HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

[pzarquon]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Woo hoo!

A reminder to those participating, you need to get your Week 1 picks into the system by midday tomorrow, Sept. 6. If you've made your picks, feel free to post them here, as others have. I'm glad to see my fairly arbitrary method of picking teams isn't as unusual as I thought (though I'd love to hear from folks who seriously study the teams!).

And to everyone else, it's never too late to join in. You can join any time, though of course your chances of winning drop with each week missed. (Speaking of winning... any suggestions for prizes?) Just PM me or e-mail me for the password to the Yahoo! Pick'em team!

[scrivener]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

I see that they fixed the nonsensical favorites/underdogs. When I first entered my picks, they had all the hometeams (in bold) as underdogs and all the visitors as favorites. Now they've got things straightened out.

Here are mine. Feel free to copy, but you'll regret it! My picks in all caps.

• INDIANAPOLIS at New Orleans
  Man, I was so sick of the Saints even by midseason last year that I find it impossible to root for them. It's a FOOTBALL team, people. Not a savior! Indy has lost some serious talent in the off-season, but I still say you have to knock the champion out. Indianapolis by 14.
  
  
• DENVER at Buffalo
  Man, as much as I hate the Broncos, I just love their starting corners (Dre Bly and Champ Bailey). Buffalo's one of those teams that could go either way this year; I'm guessing it'll have a pretty good season. I hope this one's on TV: I'd like to see Travis Henry against his old team.
  
  
• WASHINGTON at Miami
  Two more teams who could go either way. This one's a coin-toss, if you ask me. Oh, and keep an eye on TE Chris Cooley. I predict two touchdowns from him this week -- he's going to have a monster season.
  
  
• PITTSBURGH at Cleveland
  Willie Parker is the best RB Pittsburgh has had in ages.
  
  
• Jacksonville at TENNESSEE
  Jacksonville could go all the way this year, and the Titans are always hard to figure, but I have a feeling about this one.
  
  
• Houston at KANSAS CITY
  Two teams that should be really, really bad this year. I don't see how you can pick against the team with Larry Johnson, especially when Houston's much-heralded QB is completely unproven.
  
  
• PHILADELPHIA at Green Bay
  McNabb comes in this year with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. That's just how I like him! I want him in there, yelling at guys who don't perform, taking charge!
  
  
• ST. LOUIS at Carolina
  I have never been a Rams fan, but St. Louis RB Steven Jackson is hungry and could be the league MVP if the Rams do well this season.
  
  
• MINNESOTA at Atlanta
  Not only is Atlanta just poison until it proves it can do something (I seriously think it should grab Byron Leftwich!), but Minnesota's rookie RB Adrian Peterson is going to be awesome.
  
  
• NEW ENGLAND at New York Jets
  It's been a really, really rough week for the Patriots after a great pre-season, and I am eager to see what Thomas Jones can do in NY. But it's the freaking Patriots we're talking about. You don't pick against Tom Brady unless he's playing the Colts.
  
  
• SEATTLE at Tampa Bay
  I don't think TB is going to be as bad as last year, and Seattle didn't show much in the preseason, opting to keep its best players healthy and on the bench. If it can stay healthy, I think Seattle's going to be tough to beat by anyone this year.
  
  
• OAKLAND at Detroit
  I'm shocked that the Raiders are favored to beat anyone, especially considering the fact that they haven't announced a starting QB yet! I watched every one of the Raiders' preseason games, though, and this could be a VERY surprising team. As a fan, I'm trying to be realistic and am thinking that seven wins would be a GREAT improvement (that's five more than last season), but every year, some team comes out of nowhere and kicks butt. I don't see why that couldn't be the Raiders this year. I'm riding the Black and Silver until it's obviously stupid to continue to do so.
  
  Watch out for Detroit, though. It sounds like it's determined to shoot the lights out this year, like a certain team in the WAC.
  
  
• San Diego at CHICAGO
  Yes. Now here's a matchup worthy of opening day. It's a tough call, but I'm taking the ridiculously awesome defense here over the terrific offense.
  
  
• DALLAS at New York Giants
  Don't like either team this year and am hoping Brandon Jacobs proves himself the monster stud he looks like in goal-line situations. Too many question-marks for the Giants, though, so I'll take the Cowboys in what I think will be the start of a good year for them.
  
  
• Cincinnati at BALTIMORE
  As last year's contest-participants know, I almost never pick against the Bengals, much to my sorrow last season. Call me a HUGE Chad Johnson fan and mark them down for the playoffs again, but Baltimore was the most invisible 13-3 team I've ever seen, and I almost always favor nasty defense over shoot-the-lights offense. This one, too, might as well be a coin-toss.
  
  
• San Francisco at ARIZONA
  Against my own brain, I'm going with my gut and taking the Cardinals. I just think this is Leinart's break-out year, and I don't think Edgerrin James is quite done yet. This may be the last time I pick the Cardinals over anyone, though!

I'm stoked about the beginning of the season!

[ItsGoTime!]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

I'm going to throw some things out, Scriv, in hopes of starting some sort of discussion.

Jacksonville cannot go all the way with this team, not with the shaky QB situation. Jones-Drew will not surprise so many teams this year (will still have a good year), and he WAS their offence last year.

I have a feeling Atlanta will not be as bad as some people think. Yes, Vick is the Super-duper star, but his talents are not compatible with a traditional NFL style offence. Now that he is gone, no more "Can the offence be fit for Vick's talents? Can Vick develop into a pocket passer? etc.." that we hear every year. No one asking anyone about dog fighting. It's just time to play football. But, I have a feeling I'll be eating these words by Week 6.

Raiders are in too tough a division to do much more than 7 wins. I agree that they will not be the gong show they were last year, if that's any consolation.

As a Broncos fan, I am optimistic about this year. Solid D (although run D looked fairly porous in the preseason, for what it's worth), good line and run game. The yooge (huge) question will be the play of Cutler. I am high on his future, love the way the ball leaves his hands, but he is very unpolished, and gets skittish in the pocket. This team will be one of those teams that can shut it down if it gets ahead, but it will have a hard time coming back from more than 2 TDs. At least my opinion. I'm ready for football.

[Palama Kid]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

I'm stoked about the beginning of the season!

Yeah, but you betta look at your post again and substitute "vs" for "at" . . .

No big ting, but a quick look showed that you got Raiders and 49ers playing away. Both games are at home.

As for my picks: if you remember my methodology for most of last year, you got a 50-50 chance for guessing ALL my picks.

You're right, pzarquon. My "legendary NFL knowledge" comes to the fore again.

[ploal5333]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Jacksonville cannot go all the way with this team, not with the shaky QB situation.

Jags are in a tough division this year and they lack the toughness needed to make the playoffs. I do agree, however, that Garrard was the better choice over Leftwich.

Raiders are in too tough a division to do much more than 7 wins. I agree that they will not be the gong show they were last year, if that's any consolation.

I disagree. With coach boy Kiffen naming McCown the starter, good luck. He's never impressed me one bit. I had to change my pick because of this.

As a Broncos fan, I am optimistic about this year.

As long as Shanny is the coach, Broncos will never make it to the Super Bowl again.

I'm ready for football.

YES!

[pzarquon]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Week One picks are now set! Let's see if this works:



Everyone but Mitchell picked San Francisco over Arizona. Everyone but acousticlady picked Tampa Bay over Seattle. Dallas is favored heavily over the New York Giants, Oakland favored heavily over Detroit, New England favored heavily over the New York Jets.

Let's roll!

[infinitypro]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Quick question, are we using the point spread?

I know kinda late, but I'm confident in my choices even though I didn't even look at the point spread!

BTW GAME CAST!

[acousticlady]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Quick question, are we using the point spread?

I was wondering that too. BTW - if you haven't guessed, acousticguy is my husband. I picked the name if you can't tell - he thinks it's lame.

[infinitypro]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

I was wondering that too. BTW - if you haven't guessed, acousticguy is my husband. I picked the name if you can't tell - he thinks it's lame.

Well, I just checked the HawaiiThreads Yahoo Sports page, and it apprears as though the point spread is being used, and THANK BUDDHA because on some picks we surely needed it.

[scrivener]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Darn it, we are playing with the spread. Why didn't the spread show when I made my picks? That would definitely have influenced my selections on a few games. Oh well. I'll just have to teach you all a lesson NEXT week!

[pzarquon]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Darn it, we are playing with the spread.

We are? D'oh. Not intentional, nor intentionally omitted, I promise you. Just further proof that I know about as much about sports as I do about quantum physics. I'm gathering this changes play somewhat? Hope it's not a deal breaker!

Here we are at the end of week one (previously hidden spread included)! Congrats to INFINITYPRO and ploal5333 for taking the early lead.

[infinitypro]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Darn it, we are playing with the spread. Why didn't the spread show when I made my picks? That would definitely have influenced my selections on a few games. Oh well. I'll just have to teach you all a lesson NEXT week!

Point spread showed after this week closed, which is why I asked the question after the fact, well after I noticed it.

If your'e gonna be handing out lessons, then this week I will certainly do my homework before making my picks.

Good luck everyone!

[scrivener]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

The spread is showing now, or at least it's showing where the spread will be once it gets published. When you edit your picks, you'll see spread columns for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So you may want to wait until Monday or so before you put in your picks.

[ploal5333]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Hey wait a minute! By playing the spread, does this mean my Denver pick doesn't count as a win? If so, I don't want to play the spread.

Why are we using a system with a spread? We are not gambling here, not exchanging money. I'M PLAYING UNDER PROTEST THE NEXT 15 WEEKS!

[infinitypro]

Re: HawaiiThreads NFL Pick'em 2007

Hey wait a minute! By playing the spread, does this mean my Denver pick doesn't count as a win? If so, I don't want to play the spread.

Why are we using a system with a spread? We are not gambling here, not exchanging money. I'M PLAYING UNDER PROTEST THE NEXT 15 WEEKS!

Umm...just wondering, are you really this upset about it?