Friday, October 29, 2010

Predictions of Creative Misfortune - Week 8

With less games to pick in week 8, there is little margin for error to hit the 70% mark. Can Scottie V extend his 70+ streak to three straight weeks? We'll know by Tuesday.


Sunday Game Score Predictions:

Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Cincinnati, 24-17. Miami's magical run on the road ends in Ohio.
     Scottie V's Pick: Cincinnati, 20-16. Cincy saves some face at home.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Cincinnati, 24-21. Cincinnati by 2, Over/Under 43.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Cincinnati, 14-13. Both teams 50% win confidence, advantage home
     What If Sports Pick: Cincinnati, 24-20. Cincinnati won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Miami, 20-17. Miami better at 3-3.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Cincinnati, 20-17

Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Dallas, 24-14. Baby step, recover from a broken left clavicle.
     Scottie V's Pick: Dallas, 14-13. The Cowboys gets some much-needed help from their D and Dez Bryant.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Dallas, 26-17. Dallas by 6.5, Over/Under 42.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Dallas, 24-13. Dallas 66% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Dallas, 24-21. Dallas won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Jacksonville, 20-17. Jacksonville better at 3-4.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Dallas, 20-17

Washington Redskins at Detroit Lions
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Washington, 24-16. The Redskin defense is too much for Detroit to handle
     Scottie V's Pick: Detroit, 27-17. The hard-working, seldom rewarded Lions reach breakthrough at home.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Detroit, 24-21. Detroit by 2.5, Over/Under 44.
     Accuscore Pick: Washington, 20-17. Washington 54% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Washington, 23-17. Washington won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Washington, 20-17. Washington better at 4-3.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Detroit, 20-17

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Kansas City, 34-21. Kansas City looks to be the best in the AFC West and the floundering of their division rivals only adds to their confidence. The Bills won't be able to stop them.
     Scottie V's Pick: Kansas City, 30-13. The Chiefs are for real... That includes taking care of business against subpar teams such as the Bills.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Kansas City, 28-20. Kansas City by 7.5, Over/Under 45.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Kansas City, 24-13. Kansas City 67% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Kansas City, 27-9. Kansas City won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17. Kansas City better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17

Carolina Panthers at St. Louis Rams
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Carolina, 21-16. Matt Moore has the passing game firing again and now the Panthers have some confidence after winning a game.
     Scottie V's Pick: Carolina, 23-17. Matt Moore has a second solid week.
     Vegas Lines Pick: St. Louis, 21-17. St. Louis by 3, Over/Under 37.
     Accuscore Pick: Carolina, 17-14. Carolina 52% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Carolina, 20-13. Carolina won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: St. Louis, 20-17. St. Louis better at 3-4.
     Home Team Wins Pick: St. Louis, 20-17

Green Bay Packers at New York Jets
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New York, 27-21. Green Bay is too injured to have any kind of success against the best team in football.
     Scottie V's Pick: Green Bay, 24-16. The Jets find some turbulence against the Packers D.
     Vegas Lines Pick: New York, 26-17. New York by 6, Over/Under 42.
     Accuscore Pick: New York, 21-17. New York 57% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: New York, 31-17. New York won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New York, 20-17. New York better at 5-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: New York, 20-17

Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers (at Wembley Stadium in London, England)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Denver, 27-21. I can't think of two teams in more need of getting out of the country than these two.
     Scottie V's Pick: San Francisco, 27-23. The other bay-area team knocks off the Broncs, though not as convincingly.
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Francisco, 21-20. PICK 'EM! Advantage "Home", Over/Under 42.
     Accuscore Pick: Denver, 17-14. Denver 52% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Denver, 24-20. Denver won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Denver, 20-17. Denver better at 2-5.
     Home Team Wins Pick: "San Francisco", 20-17

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Tennessee, 21-17. The Chargers continue to shoot themselves in the foot and Tennessee has figured out how to take advantage of the mistakes other teams make.
     Scottie V's Pick: San Diego, 28-17. Surely a team of the Chargers' caliber has to hit their stride at some point... Right?
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Diego, 26-20. San Diego by 3.5, Over/Under 44.5.
     Accuscore Pick: San Diego, 24-14. San Diego 64% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: San Diego, 21-17. San Diego won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tennessee, 20-17. Tennessee better at 5-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: San Diego, 20-17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-7. Arizona has no idea how to move the ball.
     Scottie V's Pick: Tampa Bay, 24-20. I don't agree with the Tampa coach that they're the team to beat in the NFC, but they can handle the Cardinals.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Arizona, 23-17. Arizona by 3, Over/Under 39.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-16. Tampa Bay 51% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Tampa Bay, 28-14. Tampa Bay won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tampa Bay, 20-17. Tampa Bay better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Arizona, 20-17

Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New England, 31-20. Bill Belichick is not fond of any other teams, but he really dislikes the Vikings.
     Scottie V's Pick: New England, 31-20. As much as I'd like the Vikes to win, I can't go against the Pats this week.
     Vegas Lines Pick: New England, 26-20. New England by 5, Over/Under 44.
     Accuscore Pick: New England, 24-13. New England 66% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: New England, 23-16. New England won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New England, 20-17. New England better at 5-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: New England, 20-17

Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Seattle, 24-21. NFL logic - Denver beat Seattle, Oakland beat Denver, therefore Seattle can't possibly lose to Oakland. It's amazing how this league works.
     Scottie V's Pick: Oakland, 23-13. I hate to admit it, but the Raiders might actually be pretty good... The Seahawks, though improved, still need to show me something.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Oakland, 23-20. Oakland by 2.5, Over/Under 42.
     Accuscore Pick: Oakland, 23-14. Oakland 62% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Seattle, 24-12. Seattle won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17. Seattle better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Oakland, 20-17

Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New Orleans, 26-17. Trick or Treat! The Saints will show up dressed as their alter-ego championship selves and knock off the Steelers down in the Bayou.
     Scottie V's Pick: Pittsburgh, 27-24. Though a game in the Voodoo capital of the U.S. sounds like a recipe for Halloween success, the shine is starting to come off the Saints and the Steelers have been solid.
     Vegas Lines Pick: New Orleans, 23-21. PICK Em! Advantage Home, Over/Under 44.
     Accuscore Pick: Pittsburgh, 17-16. Pittsburgh 51% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-13. Pittsburgh won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17. Pittsburgh better at 5-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17

Monday Night Score Prediction:

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Indianapolis, 31-28. Peyton Manning will not allow the Texans to beat him twice this season.
     Scottie V's Pick: Indianapolis, 24-23. The Texans give it their all for a national Monday Night Football audience, but Peyton isn't giving up the AFC South crown yet.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Indianapolis, 28-21. Indianapolis by 5.5, Over/Under 49.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Indianapolis, 24-13. Indianapolis 66% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Houston, 28-20. Houston won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Indianapolis, 20-17. Both records at 4-2, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Indianapolis, 20-17

Teams on a bye this week -
    Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles



Come back on Monday to view the prediction roundup and game recaps for all week 8 Sunday games.

The Curious Matter of the Explosive Raiders

The Broncos didn't know what hit them. Before Denver fans even had a chance to settle into their seats to watch the contest against bitter, division rival Oakland, the Raiders jumped out to an early 14-point lead. By the end of the first quarter the Raiders had accumulated 24 points and were no where close to stopping. At halftime the Raiders, a team who just the week before barely managed three field goals against the 1-5 San Francisco 49ers, led the stunned Broncos 38-7. Three more touchdowns in the third quarter lifted Oakland to a franchise record 59 points and then they put the brakes on and coasted the rest of the game for an outstanding 59-14 road victory. The unexpected offensive explosion was enough to jolt Al Davis back from the dead and renewed waning hope for the possibility of a Raider playoff birth, particularly in the suspect AFC West.

But did the Raiders accomplish something unique on Sunday? After all, they were not the first team to score 59 or more points in three quarters. Two other teams have accomplished this same feat.

Just over one year ago, the lovable New England Patriots obliterated the 0-5 Tennessee Titans in Foxboro, 59-0 on October 18, 2009. During their bye week following the game, Titans coach Jeff Fisher donned a Peyton Manning jersey at a charity event and declared he just "wanted to feel like a winner for a change."

Prior to the destruction of the Tennessee Titans, only one other team had ever scored 59 or more points in just three quarters of action. On October 29, 1950 - exactly 60 years ago - the Los Angeles Rams hosted the Detroit Lions in a game that started out quite normal. After the first quarter, the Rams led 7-3 and had expanded their lead to 24-10 at halftime. However, a curious thing happened after the break. Norm Van Brocklin led the Rams to a devastating deluge of points in the third quarter. When the smoke had settled and the clock rolled over to quarter number four, the Rams led 65-17. The 41 points scored by the Rams in the third quarter ranks among the most points ever scored in a single quarter. Los Angeles won the game by a final score of 65-24.

Despite being the third team in NFL history to score 59 or more points in three quarters, Oakland was the first ever team to do so on the road. Crushing the Broncos in Denver only makes the victory sweeter. By contrast, both Los Angeles and New England played at home when they lit up the scoreboard.

The Raiders, on the other hand, became only the fourth team to score 50 or more points through three quarters on the road. The Chicago Bears racked up 54 points in three quarters of the 1940 NFL Championship game against the Washington Redskins before going on to win 73-0. The Chicago Cardinals were the next to score 50 or more in three quarters back on November 13, 1949 when they defeated the New York Bulldogs, 65-20 during a game played in New York. The Pittsburgh Steelers later managed to score 50 on the road during the first three quarters of their game against the Atlanta Falcons on December 18, 1966, which they ended up winning 57-33.

However, Oakland's 59-point performance on Sunday stands alone as a benchmark for prolific scoring by a road team through three quarters of play. And despite Al Davis' affinity for throwing the ball deep down the field, most of the Raiders points came off rushing touchdowns. How curious.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

This Day in Football History - October 28th

*October 28, 1957 - Anthony J. Morabito, founder and co-owner of the 49ers, dies of a heart attack during a game against the Bears at Kezar Stadium.

*October 28, 1959 - The Buffalo Bills, owned by Ralph Wilson, become the seventh franchise to join the new American Football League, scheduled to begin play in 1960.

*October 28, 2007 - The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Carolina Panthers 31-7. Why was this victory significant? First, the win made head coach Tony Dungy the winningest coach in Colts history. The 74th victory moved him ahead of Don Shula.

Second, the victory made Peyton Manning the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat 31 other teams. Later that same day, Tom Brady duplicated this same feat when the New England Patriots destroyed the Washington Redskins, 52-7.

Also this day, The New York Giants defeated the Miami Dolphins, 13-10, at Wembley Stadium in London, England, in the first ever regular season game played outside of North America.

*October 28, 2008 - Coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles becomes the 37th head coach in NFL history to reach the 100-win plateau with a 27-14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.


Tomorrow, The Curious Matter of the Explosive Raiders and Week 8 game predictions...

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Creative Misfortune Power Rankings - Week 7

Creative Misfortune Power Rankings are based on a complicated formula that takes into account, among other things, a team's projected ability to score an Offensive Fumble Recovery TD. All power rankings guaranteed to be less accurate than real NFL team abilities on any given Sunday and are subject to change on a weekly basis. If your team’s ranking remains unchanged for 4 hours or more, please consult with your doctor, as serious side effects may occur.

When it comes to Creative Misfortune Power Rankings, winning isn't the only thing, but it is the most important component of the rating. I don't believe teams can be powerful if they consistently lose, even to other great teams.

The Forked Few ~
     Abandon hope and fortune all ye who rank here
    
     # 32 - San Francisco 49ers (previous: 29)
                     Blow them up. This team is not going anywhere this year, even in the pathetic NFC West.

     # 31 - Carolina Panthers (previous: 32)
                      Yay! You beat the 49ers.

     # 30 - Buffalo Bills (previous: 31)
                      Solid offensive play on the road against a tough defense, but the Bills are still overmatched by almost all other teams.

     # 29 - Detroit Lions (previous: 28)
                      Out of the bye week they face the surging Redskins.

     # 28 - Dallas Cowboys (previous: 25)
                      As if the Cowboys season couldn't get any worse, Romo now out indefinitely with a broken clavicle and they sit a full 3 games back of everybody in their division in the win column.


The Creatively Challenged ~
     Folly remains ever their mistress
    
     # 27 - Denver Broncos (previous: 24)
                      That's how you break through after two tough losses against Creative Elite teams - allow your division rival to score a franchise-record number of points against you on your home turf. Ouch.

     # 26 - Cleveland Browns (previous: 30)
                       Who needs offense when the defense can score just as many points.

     # 25 - Jacksonville Jaguars (previous: 20)
                       It seems like forever since the Jaguars were tied for first place in the AFC South.

     # 24 - St. Louis Rams (previous: 22)
                       Good teams don't let 14 point leads slip away from them.

     # 23 - Cincinnati Bengals (previous: 23)
                       The Bengals do just enough to keep themselves relevant, but not enough to actually be victorious.

     # 22 - Minnesota Vikings (previous: 21)
                       Age, broken wheels and poor decisions - by both the quarterback and the coach - have all but doomed the Vikings.

     # 21 - San Diego Chargers (previous: 26)
                       Another week of mistake-filled football for the Chargers. Can they rally to make the playoffs?

The Remarkably Average ~
     Dancing the fine line between misfortune and glory

     # 20 - Oakland Raiders (previous: 27)
                       59 POINTS! 59! If I had to sum up my reaction to this score in one word, that word would be - I COULDN'T FREAKIN' BELIEVE IT!

     # 19 - Arizona Cardinals (previous: 19)
                       The defense shows some potential and the offense could explode if a quarterback ever emerged with enough accuracy to hit the talented wide receivers.

     # 18 - Chicago Bears (previous: 12)
                       The offense is killing a team the defense is doing everything it can to save.

     # 17 - Miami Dolphins (previous: 17)
                       The refs were right about the replay, but should have been more proactive determining who had the ball at the bottom of the pile before the replays were viewed.

     # 16 - Washington Redskins (previous: 15)
                       The Redskins are above .500 for the first time in years and have a solid chance to improve to 5-3 when they travel to Detroit this week.

     # 15 - New Orleans Saints (previous: 9)
                       Could Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas really mean so much to this team? Without a running game, Brees so far has been unable to throw with much success against defenses the Saints would have destroyed last season.

     # 14 - Philadelphia Eagles (previous: 6)
                       Vick may be the answer for Philadelphia, but the defense can't allow career days to young wide receivers if they hope to stay with the Giants.

     # 13 - Green Bay Packers (previous: 13)
                       The Packers were sooo close to blowing another game at home. If two feet touched down, Favre would have broken Green Bay's heart all over again.

The Fortunate Seven ~
     The best of those not yet elite

     # 12 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (previous: 18)
                       Even though it was against the Rams, rallying from 14 down late to win is always good.

     # 11 - Seattle Seahawks (previous: 16)
                       The division is there for the taking.

     # 10 - Kansas City Chiefs (previous: 14)
                       Another stumble by the Chargers and the Chiefs suddenly look like they could be the defacto division champion.

       # 9 - Atlanta Falcons (previous: 7)
                       A big win at home that nearly got away from them slips the Falcons a bit in the rankings.

       # 8 - Houston Texans (previous: 11)
                       Idly preparing to face the Colts.

       # 7 - Indianapolis Colts (previous: 5)
                       Idly preparing to face the Texans.

       # 6 - New York Giants (previous: 10)
                       The Giants placed the Cowboys on life-support and probably ruined their season by putting Romo down. However, five turnovers and 35 points allowed should give Coughlin something to chew on during the bye week.

The Creative Elite ~
       Wielding misfortune at its finest

       # 5 - Tennessee Titans (previous: 8)
                        #1 in the NFC East and #1 in the AFC South. Impressive for a team shuffling quarterbacks back and forth.

       # 4 - Pittsburgh Steelers (previous: 4)
                        Sometimes good teams need to be lucky as well. The Steelers were lucky on Sunday.

       # 3 - Baltimore Ravens (previous: 3)
                        The Ravens dodged a bullet at home, but when the defense falters it's good to see the offense can pick up the slack.

       # 2 - New England Patriots (previous: 2)
                        Despite the yards and the weird 4th down call at the end of the game, New England continues their winning ways.

       # 1 - New York Jets (previous: 1)
                        During their bye week, nobody emerged as being clearly better than the Jets.

Week 7 Power Ranking Awards:

The Free Fallers - Philadelphia Eagles (-8), New Orleans Saints (-6) and the Chicago Bears (-6)

The Biggest Movers - Oakland Raiders (+7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6), Seattle Seahawks (+5) and the San Diego Chargers (+5)

Maintaining The Status Quo - New York Jets (1), New England Patriots (2), Baltimore Ravens (3), Pittsburgh Steelers (4), Green Bay Packers (13), Miami Dolphins (17), Arizona Cardinals (19) and the Cincinnati Bengals (23)

Creative Misfortune Super Bowl XLV Favorite ~ After Week 7

New York Jets

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Week 7 Results - "If Real Football Used Fantasy Scoring..."

Wild action, comeback wins, surprising upsets and outstanding individual plays highlighted week 7.

The Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints all won games they lost in real life.

High score of the week goes to the explosive Oakland Raiders with 118 points.

Low score falls to the Arizona Cardinals at 35 points, however only the Denver Broncos were unable to score enough fantasy points (42) to beat the real 59 points the Oakland Raiders scored against them.

After seven weeks of fantasy play, only the Indianapolis Colts remain undefeated at 6-0. Only the Cleveland Browns remain winless at 0-7.


Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
     Fantasy Score: Cincinnati 103, Atlanta 100
     Cincinnati's Key Performers: Carson Palmer (28), Jordan Shipley (19), Chad Ochocinco (16)
     Atlanta's Key Performers: Roddy White (32), Michael Turner (26), Matt Ryan (21)

Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears
     Fantasy Score: Washington 72, Chicago 57
     Washington's Key Performers: Defense (26), Santana Moss (12), Ryan Torain (10)
     Chicago's Key Performers: Defense (18), Johnny Knox (14), Earl Bennett (7)

St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
     Fantasy Score: Tampa Bay 66, St. Louis 54
     St. Louis' Key Performers: Steven Jackson (14), Sam Bradford (11), Danny Amendola (10)
     Tampa Bay's Key Performers: Josh Freeman (12), Cadillac Williams (10), Mike Williams (8)

San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
     Fantasy Score: Carolina 78, San Francisco 64
     San Francisco's Key Performers: Frank Gore (15), Vernon Davis (13), Defense (13)
     Carolina's Key Performers: David Gettis (24), Matt Moore (18), Brandon LaFell (9)

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
     Fantasy Score: Buffalo 105, Baltimore 97
     Buffalo's Key Performers: Lee Evans (28), Ryan Fitzpatrick (28), Steve Johnson (21)
     Baltimore's Key Performers: Joe Flacco (22), Todd Heap (17), Anquan Boldin (15)

Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans
     Fantasy Score: Tennessee 94, Philadelphia 60
     Philadelphia's Key Performers: David Akers (13), Riley Cooper (11), LeSean McCoy (9)
     Tennessee's Key Performers: Kenny Britt (40), Kerry Collins (17), Defense (16)

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
     Fantasy Score: Kansas City 97, Jacksonville 54
     Jacksonville's Key Performers: Maurice Jones-Drew (17), Toldd Bouman (12), Mike Sims-Walker (9)
     Kansas City's Key Performers: Dwayne Bowe (20), Thomas Jones (18), Matt Cassel (15)

Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
     Fantasy Score: Pittsburgh 72, Miami 68
     Pittsburgh's Key Performers: Hines Ward (19), Ben Roethlisberger (18), Mike Wallace (11)
     Miami's Key Performers: Dan Carpenter (16), Chad Henne (14), Davonne Bess (12)

Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints
     Fantasy Score: New Orleans 58, Cleveland 56
     Cleveland's Key Performers: Defense (24), Peyton Hills (12), Phil Dawson (12)
     New Orleans' Key Performers: Marques Colston (17), Drew Brees (14), David Thomas (9)

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
     Fantasy Score: Seattle 77, Arizona 35
     Arizona's Key Performers: Beanie Wells (11), Defense (7), Larry Fitzgerald (3)
     Seattle's Key Performers: Olindo Mare (18), Defense (16), Mike Williams (14)

New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
     Fantasy Score: New England 60, San Diego 56
     New England's Key Performers: Stephen Gostkowski (11), Tom Brady (10), Defense (10)
     San Diego's Key Performers: Philip Rivers (13), Antonio Gates (11), Patrick Crayton (8)

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos
     Fantasy Score: Oakland 118, Denver 42
     Oakland's Key Performers: Darren McFadden (43), Jason Campbell (17), Defense (17)
     Denver's Key Performers: Knowshon Moreno (20), Kyle Orten (13), Jabar gaffney (5)

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
     Fantasy Score: Green Bay 76, Minnesota 72
     Minnesota's Key Performers: Adrian Peterson (23), Percy Harvin (16), Randy Moss (9)
     Green Bay's Key Performers: Aaron Rodgers (16), Brandon Jackson (15), Greg Jennings (13)


Monday Game Result:

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
     Fantasy Score: New York 110, Dallas 73
     New York's Key Performers: Eli Manning (22), Hakeem Nicks (22), Steve Smith (16)
     Dallas' Key Performers: Dez Bryant (17), Jason Witten (13), Defense (13)


Tomorrow, The Art of Creative Misfortune Power Rankings. Who will be Week 7's Forked Few and will any NFC team crack into the Creative Elite?

Week 7 - Roundup of Creative Misfortune

There were a few surprising upsets in the NFL this week. Only two systems hit the 70% accuracy mark and no perfect picks were made.

See below to find out how all the systems compared to each other on a game-by-game basis.


Sunday Game Results:

Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons (Actual ~ Atlanta, 39-32)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Atlanta, 24-14. The Dirty Birds will be fired up after being embarrassed last week and will make up for it at home against the Bengals
     Scottie V's Pick: Atlanta, 27-17. Cincy starts their drama-filled decline
     Vegas Lines Pick: Atlanta, 24-20. Atlanta by 3.5, Over/Under 43.
     Accuscore Pick: Atlanta, 23-16. Atlanta 61% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Cincinnati, 23-21Cincinnati won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17Atlanta better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17

     The Falcons nearly let the Bengals steal one from them, but stay strong and pull away for the victory at home. Almost all systems get this pick correct, with only What If Sports giving Cincinnati the slight edge after five simulations.


Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears (Actual ~ Washington, 17-14)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Washington, 23-17. The Redskins break through with a win on the road over the struggling Bears.
     Scottie V's Pick: Washington, 28-13. The Bears offense continues to be exposed
     Vegas Lines Pick: Chicago, 23-19. Chicago by 3, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Chicago, 20-17Chicago 55% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Washington, 24-15Washington won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Chicago, 20-17Chicago better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Chicago, 20-17

     It's not so much that the Redskins look good, it's that the Bears look so woefully bad. Mike Martz and Jay Cutler are proving to be a self-destructive combination in Chicago. How can Lovie Smith, a defense-minded, pound the ball kind of coach, be happy about the offensive offense? Accuscore and the blind pick systems nailed Washington's score, but failed to give them the edge in the game.


St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Actual ~ Tampa Bay, 18-17)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-14. The Rams don't travel well and Tampa Bay is young enough to believe they can win this one.
     Scottie V's Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-3. Tampa stops the one-dimensional Rams.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Tampa Bay, 21-17. Tampa Bay by 2.5, Over/Under 38
     Accuscore Pick: TampaBay, 20-17. Tampa Bay 54% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: St. Louis, 21-17St. Louis won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tampa Bay, 20-17Tampa Bay better at 3-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Tampa Bay, 20-17

     Tampa Bay rallies from 14 down to derail St. Louis' best attempt to move above a .500 record since The Greatest Show on Turf disbanded. Four separate systems picked the Rams' score perfectly, but the Buccaneers needed to convert their attempted two-point conversion in order for three of those picks to be truly perfect.


San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers (Actual ~ Carolina, 23-20)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: San Francisco, 28-20. The 49ers now know they can win. Carolina has yet to figure that out.
     Scottie V's Pick: Carolina, 20-9. Matt Moore reclaims his starting job leading the Panthers to victory.
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Francisco, 20-16. San Francisco by 3, Over/Under 35.5.
     Accuscore Pick: San Francisco, 17-14. San Francisco 52% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: San Francisco, 23-17San Francisco won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: San Francisco, 20-17San Francisco better at 1-5.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Carolina, 20-17

     Ok. I think it's time to clean house in San Francisco and start over. Rebuilding with Mike Singletary isn't going anywhere and nobody expected them to be this bad. The Panthers find their legs and break-through with a big game from Matt Moore, but beating the Niners these days is nothing to brag about. Only Scottie V on the human side of the systems gets this game correct.


Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens (Actual ~ Baltimore, 37-34 (OT))
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Baltimore, 34-16. Buffalo can't even begin to compete with the Ravens, especially on the road.
     Scottie V's Pick: Baltimore, 24-3. The Bills are out of their league.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Baltimore, 27-13. Baltimore by 13.5, Over/Under 40.
     Accuscore Pick: Baltimore, 31-7Baltimore 83% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Baltimore, 30-10Baltimore won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17Baltimore better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17

     When I looked for a bye week fill-in for Peyton Manning this past weekend for my fantasy team, Ryan Fitzpatrick came up as a possible option, but I dismissed him simply because he faced a strong Ravens defense on the road. Big mistake on my part. Fitzpatrick has been playing lights out and Baltimore needs extra time to get away with a victory in this one. All systems are correct, but none expected this game to be this close except for the blind picks.


Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans (Actual ~ Tennessee, 37-19)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Philadelphia, 24-21. The high-flying Eagles continue to soar in Tennessee.
     Scottie V's Pick: Tennessee, 23-21. The Eagles come up short in a great game.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Tennessee, 24-20Tennessee by 3, Over/Under 43.
     Accuscore Pick: Tennessee, 21-16Tennessee 58% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Philadelphia, 24-14Philadelphia won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tennessee, 20-17Both records at 4-2, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Tennessee, 20-17

     The Titans are stronger than any team in the NFC right now and they still may only be the sixth or seventh best team in the AFC. Another dominating win over the NFC East puts Tennessee in the driver seat of the AFC South and in perfect position to keep pace with both Indy and Houston. Only What If Sports and Creative Misfortune whiff on this pick.


Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs (Actual ~ Kansas City, 42-20)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Kansas City, 24-13. The Chiefs get back on the winning track and take advantage of Jacksonville's offensive inefficiencies.
     Scottie V's Pick: Kansas City, 24-10. Kansas City continues to gain confidence.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Kansas City, 24-14Kansas City by 9, Over/Under 37.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Kansas City, 24-10. Kansas City 68% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Kansas City, 27-14. Kansas City won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17Kansas City better at 3-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17

     The Chiefs dominate another weak opponent and prove all systems correct. Could Kansas City be for real? Survey says no, but in the AFC West, you don't have to be for real to win it all.


Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins (Actual ~ Pittsburgh, 23-22)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Pittsburgh, 21-17. The Steelers are too strong on defense for the Dolphins to be able to move the ball consistently.
     Scottie V's Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-16. The Steelers D helps Big Ben as he is still working out the kinks.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Pittsburgh, 23-20. Pittsburgh by 3, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh 53% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh better at 4-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Miami, 20-17

     Another weird final score, another controversary and another squeaker win for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Only blindly picking the home team ended up to be the wrong answer, but only because of the confusion the refs created by not verifying who recovered the loose ball following Big Ben's fumble into the end zone.


Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints (Actual ~ Cleveland, 30-17)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New Orleans, 31-13. New Orleans is getting back to their championship form and the Browns are not even close.
     Scottie V's Pick: New Orleans, 31-17. The Browns don't have enough firepower to stay with the Saints.
     Vegas Lines Pick: New Orleans, 30-14New Orleans by 13.5, Over/Under 43.5.
     Accuscore Pick: New Orleans, 31-3New Orleans 87% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: New Orleans, 24-17New Orleans won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17New Orleans better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17

     WHAT IN THE WORLD, SAINTS? I mean, c'mon. You give two pick-6 touchdowns to the Browns and a allow their punter to run up the gut for 68 yards from deep in his own territory. Everybody thought the Saints were back last week. I guess everybody was wrong. With the Steelers coming to town on Sunday night, New Orleans better find its championship form and quick, otherwise they will end up losing by some absurd score, like 22-18.


Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (Actual ~ Seattle, 22-10)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Seattle, 24-17. Up in Seattle, things are going right for a change. Not so much down in Arizona.
     Scottie V's Pick: Seattle, 20-10. The Cardinals are in serious trouble.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Seattle, 24-17Seattle by 6, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Seattle, 24-13Seattle 66% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Seattle, 16-10. Seattle 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17Both records at 3-2, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17

     Seattle takes the lead in the NFC West and looks to be the dominate team, but even by NFC standards, the west is terrible. All picks had this game pegged.


New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers (Actual ~ New England, 23-20)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New England, 24-20. San Diego has been thoroughly underwhelming so far this season and the Patriots can see an opportunity to vanquish a potential AFC playoff foe for good.
     Scottie V's Pick: San Diego, 24-21. The Chargers get a big win at home.
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Diego, 26-23. San Diego by 2, Over/Under 47.
     Accuscore Pick: San Diego, 21-17. San Diego 57% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: San Diego, 30-17San Diego won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New England, 20-17New England better at 4-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: San Diego, 20-17

     The tombstone of the 2010 San Diego Chargers it will read - "Here lies a talented team. They made mistakes." Only Creative Misfortune, with another near-perfect New England pick, and the Best Record system had faith in the Chargers failing. Again.


Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (Actual ~ Oakland, 59-14)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Denver, 34-24. Orten should tear up the Raiders secondary and Denver's defense can contain Oakland's injury riddled offense. 
     Scottie V's Pick: Denver, 27-24. Orton and Co. beat the mistake-prone Raiders.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Denver, 26-17. Denver by 8.5, Over/Under 41.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Denver, 24-10Denver 68% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Denver, 24-23Denver won 1 of 5 simulations outright.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Denver, 20-17Both teams at 2-4, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Denver, 20-17

     Another WHAT IN THE WORLD game. The Raiders look like the Raiders looked back in- well, never. Oakland explodes for the most points in franchise history and absolutely destroys their division rival in Denver. The Broncos will have a difficult time recovering from this crushing defeat. No system saw this coming and no expert out there did either. What If Sports almost went the Broncos way, but almost only works with horseshoes and hand grenades.


Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (Actual ~ Green Bay, 28-24)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Green Bay, 24-21. Despite their recent failings, the Packers will defeat the Vikings at Lambeau on Sunday night.
     Scottie V's Pick: Green Bay, 24-17. The Packer faithful enjoy this one...
     Vegas Lines Pick: Green Bay, 24-21Green Bay by 2.5, Over/Under 44.
     Accuscore Pick: Green Bay, 20-17. Green Bay 53% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: GreenBay, 23-17Green Bay won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17Green Bay better at 3-3.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17

     The Packers regain some stability with a big win over the Vikings and all systems thank them for not giving up a late touchdown to Favre. For his part, Old Gray Beard is looking every bit his 41 years and a broken foot won't help the Vikings turn their season around. At least they signed Moss, though. That's worked out well for them so far. Impact guys like him are once in a lifetime players that only come along every so often.


Monday Game Result:

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (Actual ~ New York, 41-35)
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Dallas, 27-21. If the Cowboys don't do it on Monday night, their 2010 season is over.
     Scottie V's Pick: New York, 27-17The Giants are starting to play better... The Cowboys are not.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Dallas, 24-20. Dallas by 3, Over/Under 44.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Dallas, 23-14. Dallas 63% win confidence.
     What If Sports Pick: Dallas, 26-20 (OT)Dallas and New York were deadlocked after 5 simulations. After a second set of 5 simulations, Dallas emerged the overtime favorite. In all, Dallas won 7 of 10 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New York, 20-17New York better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Dallas, 20-17

     The Cowboys had the Giants on the ropes and looked to be running away with a much needed victory at home... and then the lights went out on the season. A broken clavicle for Romo and he is out indefinitely. Kitna, gun-shy off the bench, can't get the offense moving and the defense played like its spirit broke when Romo went down. New York takes charge of the NFC East by placing Dallas' season on life support. In a wide open, weak conference, the Giants may be the favorite at this point.


Teams on a bye this week -
     Detroit Lions - Gained about as much ground as they could, with both the Bears and Vikings losing.
    
     Indianapolis Colts - Fell a half game back of Tennessee and will need to defeat Houston on Monday and hope Tennessee loses at San Diego to move back into first place in the AFC South.

     New York Jets - Miami and Buffalo both lost, placing them in a dog-fight with New England for supremacy in the AFC East.

     Houston Texans - Fell a half game back of Tennessee and will need to defeat Indianapolis on Monday and hope Tennessee loses at San Diego to move back into first place in the AFC South.

   
     Only Scottie V and the blind Best Record Wins system broke the magical 70% accuracy mark this week.

Week 7 Final Prediction Scoreboard...
     Scottie V's: 11-3 (season overall: 64-40)
     Best Record Wins Pick: 10-4 (season overall: 56-48) *2 Perfect Picks
     Creative Misfortune: 9-5 (season overall: 55-49) *1 Perfect Pick
     Vegas Picks: 8-6 (season overall: 61-43) *1 Perfect Pick    
     Accuscore: 8-6 (season overall: 61-43)
     Home Team Wins Pick: 8-6 (season overall: 59-45) *2 Perfect Picks
     What If Sports: 6-8 (season overall: 55-49)
    
         
Check back later today for the Week 7 results of the Creative Misfortune feature "If Real Football Used Fantasy Scoring..."

Friday, October 22, 2010

Predictions of Creative Misfortune - Week 7

All non-blind systems exceeded the 70% accuracy mark last week. Will the same hold true for week 7?


Sunday Game Score Predictions:

Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Atlanta, 24-14. The Dirty Birds will be fired up after being embarrassed last week and will make up for it at home against the Bengals
     Scottie V's Pick: Atlanta, 27-17. Cincy starts their drama-filled decline
     Vegas Lines Pick: Atlanta, 24-20. Atlanta by 3.5, Over/Under 43.
     Accuscore Pick: Atlanta, 23-16. Atlanta 61% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Cincinnati, 23-21Cincinnati won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17Atlanta better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17

Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Washington, 23-17. The Redskins break through with a win on the road over the struggling Bears.
     Scottie V's Pick: Washington, 28-13. The Bears offense continues to be exposed
     Vegas Lines Pick: Chicago, 23-19. Chicago by 3, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Chicago, 20-17Chicago 55% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Washington, 24-15Washington won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Chicago, 20-17Chicago better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Chicago, 20-17

St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-14. The Rams don't travel well and Tampa Bay is young enough to believe they can win this one.
     Scottie V's Pick: Tampa Bay, 17-3. Tampa stops the one-dimensional Rams.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Tampa Bay, 21-17. Tampa Bay by 2.5, Over/Under 38
     Accuscore Pick: TampaBay, 20-17. Tampa Bay 54% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: St. Louis, 21-17St. Louis won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tampa Bay, 20-17Tampa Bay better at 3-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Tampa Bay, 20-17

San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: San Francisco, 28-20. The 49ers now know they can win. Carolina has yet to figure that out.
     Scottie V's Pick: Carolina, 20-9. Matt Moore reclaims his starting job leading the Panthers to victory.
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Francisco, 20-16. San Francisco by 3, Over/Under 35.5.
     Accuscore Pick: San Francisco, 17-14. San Francisco 52% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: San Francisco, 23-17San Francisco won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: San Francisco, 20-17San Francisco better at 1-5.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Carolina, 20-17

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Baltimore, 34-16. Buffalo can't even begin to compete with the Ravens, especially on the road.
     Scottie V's Pick: Baltimore, 24-3. The Bills are out of their league.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Baltimore, 27-13. Baltimore by 13.5, Over/Under 40.
     Accuscore Pick: Baltimore, 31-7Baltimore 83% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Baltimore, 30-10Baltimore won all 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17Baltimore better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17

Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Philadelphia, 24-21. The high-flying Eagles continue to soar in Tennessee.
     Scottie V's Pick: Tennessee, 23-21. The Eagles come up short in a great game.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Tennessee, 24-20Tennessee by 3, Over/Under 43.
     Accuscore Pick: Tennessee, 21-16Tennessee 58% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Philadelphia, 24-14Philadelphia won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Tennessee, 20-17Both records at 4-2, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Tennessee, 20-17

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Kansas City, 24-13. The Chiefs get back on the winning track and take advantage of Jacksonville's offensive inefficiencies.
     Scottie V's Pick: Kansas City, 24-10. Kansas City continues to gain confidence.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Kansas City, 24-14Kansas City by 9, Over/Under 37.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Kansas City, 24-10. Kansas City 68% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Kansas City, 27-14. Kansas City won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17Kansas City better at 3-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17

Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Pittsburgh, 21-17. The Steelers are too strong on defense for the Dolphins to be able to move the ball consistently.
     Scottie V's Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-16. The Steelers D helps Big Ben as he is still working out the kinks.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Pittsburgh, 23-20. Pittsburgh by 3, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh 53% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Pittsburgh, 20-17Pittsburgh better at 4-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Miami, 20-17

Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New orleans, 31-13. New Orleans is getting back to their championship form and the Browns are not even close.
     Scottie V's Pick: New Orleans, 31-17. The Browns don't have enough firepower to stay with the Saints.
     Vegas Lines Pick: New Orleans, 30-14New Orleans by 13.5, Over/Under 43.5.
     Accuscore Pick: New Orleans, 31-3New Orleans 87% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: New Orleans, 24-17New Orleans won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17New Orleans better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Seattle, 24-17. Up in Seattle, things are going right for a change. Not so much down in Arizona.
     Scottie V's Pick: Seattle, 20-10. The Cardinals are in serious trouble.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Seattle, 24-17Seattle by 6, Over/Under 40.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Seattle, 24-13Seattle 66% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Seattle, 16-10. Seattle 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17Both records at 3-2, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17

New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New England, 24-20. San Diego has been thoroughly underwhelming so far this season and the Patriots can see an opportunity to vanquish a potential AFC playoff foe for good.
     Scottie V's Pick: San Diego, 24-21. The Chargers get a big win at home.
     Vegas Lines Pick: San Diego, 26-23. San Diego by 2, Over/Under 47.
     Accuscore Pick: San Diego, 21-17. San Diego 57% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: San Diego, 30-17San Diego won 4 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New England, 20-17New England better at 4-1.
     Home Team Wins Pick: San Diego, 20-17

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Denver, 34-24. Orten should tear up the Raiders secondary and Denver's defense can contain Oakland's injury riddled offense. 
     Scottie V's Pick: Denver, 27-24. Orton and Co. beat the mistake-prone Raiders.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Denver, 26-17. Denver by 8.5, Over/Under 41.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Denver, 24-10Denver 68% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: Denver, 24-23Denver won 1 of 5 simulations outright.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Denver, 20-17Both teams at 2-4, advantage home.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Denver, 20-17

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Green Bay, 24-21. Despite their recent failings, the Packers will defeat the Vikings at Lambeau on Sunday night.
     Scottie V's Pick: Green Bay, 24-17. The Packer faithful enjoy this one...
     Vegas Lines Pick: Green Bay, 24-21Green Bay by 2.5, Over/Under 44.
     Accuscore Pick: Green Bay, 20-17. Green Bay 53% win confidence
     What If Sports Pick: GreenBay, 23-17Green Bay won 3 of 5 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17Green Bay better at 3-3.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17


Monday Game Score Prediction:

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: Dallas, 27-21. If the Cowboys don't do it on Monday night, their 2010 season is over.
     Scottie V's Pick: New York, 27-17. The Giants are starting to play better... The Cowboys are not.
     Vegas Lines Pick: Dallas, 24-20. Dallas by 3, Over/Under 44.5.
     Accuscore Pick: Dallas, 23-14. Dallas 63% win confidence.
     What If Sports Pick: Dallas, 26-20 (OT)Dallas and New York were deadlocked after 5 simulations. After a second set of 5 simulations, Dallas emerged the overtime favorite. In all, Dallas won 7 of 10 simulations.
     Best Record Wins Pick: New York, 20-17New York better at 4-2.
     Home Team Wins Pick: Dallas, 20-17


Teams on a bye this week -
     Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and the Houston Texans



Come back on Tuesday to view the prediction roundup and game recaps for all week 7 games.