Predictions were much more solid across the board for the 9th week of NFL action, but after last week's games, how could they have been any worse? The Vegas Picks system nailed one game perfectly this week. See detailed results below for all systems.
Sunday Game Results:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (Actual ~ Atlanta, 27-21)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Atlanta, 27-17. The Falcons take their first big step toward claiming the NFC South title.
Scottie V's Pick: Atlanta, 23-17. The Falcons cool off the streaking Bucs.
Vegas Lines Pick: Atlanta, 28-17. Atlanta by 8.5, Over/Under 44.5.
Accuscore Pick: Atlanta, 24-10. Atlanta 69% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Atlanta, 30-17. Atlanta won all 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17. Both records at 5-2, advantage home.
Home Team Wins Pick: Atlanta, 20-17
Tampa Bay gives Atlanta everything they can handle, but falls just short of surprising the Falcons at home. Though the Buccaneers slip back a bit in the standings, they still have an outside shot at the division title if they can just hang around with the Saints and Falcons. All systems pick the game correctly, with Creative Misfortune getting Atlanta's half of the score perfect.
Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills (Actual ~ Chicago, 22-19)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Buffalo, 24-17. The 0-7 Bills will not finish 0-16. With the combustible Bears coming to town, their losing streak ends.
Scottie V's Pick: Buffalo, 27-17. In a battle of awful teams, at least the Bills seem to be playing with some pride.
Vegas Lines Pick: Chicago, 24-20. Chicago by 3, Over/Under 40.5.
Accuscore Pick: Chicago, 21-17. Chicago 56% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Buffalo, 23-10. Buffalo won 4 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Chicago, 20-17. Chicago better at 4-3.
Home Team Wins Pick: Buffalo, 20-17
This game had upset written all over it, but the Bills remain winless, despite trying their hand at playing a home game on the road in Toronto. Chicago emerges from their bye week with a victory, but barely escaping a winless team by three points can hardly be considered a resounding success. More systems miss this one than got it right with the upset potential for this game quite high.
New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns (Actual ~ Cleveland, 34-14)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: New England, 23-17. The Pats have studied how the Browns surprised the Saints a few weeks back and Belichick won't let his team make the same mistakes. Plus, he has little love for a city that ran him out of town after his first coaching stint years ago.
Scottie V's Pick: New England, 28-14. The Pats are looking like a real contender... Even Randy Moss loves 'em
Vegas Lines Pick: New England, 26-20. New England by 4, Over/Under 43.5.
Accuscore Pick: New England, 26-10. New England 71% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: New England, 27-14. New England won all 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: New England, 20-17. New England better at 6-1.
Home Team Wins Pick: Cleveland, 20-17
TRAP GAME! Ouch. Only blindly picking the home team sees this collossal upset coming. The Patriots fall flat on their face just one week after I elevated them to the #1 overall Creative Misfortune Power Ranking as the only 6-1 team in league. Oops. Now they are 6-2. How weird is it that no one-loss teams remain just nine weeks into the wild 2010 season?
New York Jets at Detroit Lions (Actual ~ New York, 23-20 (OT))
Creative Misfortune's Pick: New York, 26-21. Last week was an embarrassment and after being lambasted by the New York media and Coach Ryan all week, the Jets will come to Detroit with a renewed sense of urgency.
Scottie V's Pick: Detroit, 20-13. Maybe just wishful thinking, but I'm hoping the Jets offensive woes won't go away soon.
Vegas Lines Pick: New York, 24-17. New York by 4, Over/Under 41.
Accuscore Pick: New York, 24-10. New York 68% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: New York, 31-10. New York won all 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: New York, 20-17. New York better at 5-2.
Home Team Wins Pick: Detroit, 20-17
The Jets do everything they can to lose this game, but roar back in the final minutes to steal a victory from Detroit. Only Scottie V and blindly picking the home team pays for their misguided faith in the Lions holding serve at home. New York now slides into a tie with New England in the AFC East.
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings (Actual ~ Minnesota, 27-24 (OT))
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Minnesota, 21-13. The Vikings are not all there these days, but they haven't fallen so far they won't be able to beat the Cardinals.
Scottie V's Pick: Minnesota, 27-21. Favre gets the Byron Leftwich-at-Marshall treatment, getting his crippled body carried to and from the huddle after each play.
Vegas Lines Pick: Minnesota, 26-17. Minnesota by 8.5, Over/Under 41.
Accuscore Pick: Minnesota, 28-9. Minnesota 78% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Minnesota, 21-13. Minnesota won 2 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Arizona, 20-17. Arizona better at 3-4.
Home Team Wins Pick: Minnesota, 20-17
Coach Childress may be safe for one more week, but how safe can he be when he needs two late fourth quarter touchdowns from Brett Favre (who threw for a career best 446 yards in the comeback effort) against a down-trodden franchise still struggling to move the football? Nobody in Minnesota feels good about this victory over Arizona. They say a win's a win, but in Minnesota, for these Vikings with all the drama, this week's game was anything but motivating. Only blindly picking the team with the best record failed on this pick.
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (Actual ~ New Orleans, 34-3)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: New Orleans, 28-14. Nothing will rejuvenate the Saints' offense more than the return of their aggressive, ball-hawking defense.
Scottie V's Pick: New Orleans, 24-17. The Saints D carries them in this one.
Vegas Lines Pick: New Orleans, 24-17. New Orleans by 6.5, Over/Under 41.
Accuscore Pick: New Orleans, 24-13. New Orleans 67% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: New Orleans, 24-16. New Orleans won 3 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: New Orleans, 20-17. New Orleans better at 5-3.
Home Team Wins Pick: Carolina, 20-17
The Saints are back! They do to Carolina what was expected of them and even the most generous of the prediction systems did not see them winning by an outstanding 31 points. The quarterback carousel continues in Carolina, but at this point, it doesn't matter who is started, the Panthers' season is lost.
Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (Actual ~ Baltimore, 26-10)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Baltimore, 24-21. The Ravens have had a week to get rested up for the physical Dolphins and will bring Miami's road winning streak to a screeching halt
Scottie V's Pick: Baltimore, 23-16. Miami can't hang with the Ravens at home.
Vegas Lines Pick: Baltimore, 24-17. Baltimore by 4, Over/Under 40.5.
Accuscore Pick: Baltimore, 24-13. Baltimore 67% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Miami, 23-20. Miami won 2 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17. Baltimore better at 5-2.
Home Team Wins Pick: Baltimore, 20-17
The Ravens put the brakes on Miami's wondrous road streak and deal a near fatal blow to the Dolphins' wild card hopes. Only What If Sports values streak over substance and goes the wrong direction in this completely one-sided game.
San Diego Chargers at Houston Texans (Actual ~ San Diego, 29-23)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Houston, 31-28. The Chargers will make the mistakes Manning didn't last week and the Texans will capitalize.
Scottie V's Pick: Houston, 24-23. The Texans bounce back after a disappointing outing in Indy last week.
Vegas Lines Pick: San Diego, 28-24. San Diego by 3, Over/Under 50.5.
Accuscore Pick: San Diego, 23-14. San Diego 62% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: San Diego, 30-17. San Diego won all 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Houston, 20-17. Houston better at 4-3.
Home Team Wins Pick: Houston, 20-17
San Diego, playing with no-name wide receivers, steals a much needed victory on the road to gain some momentum heading into their bye week. Houston, for their part, played like the Houston of the past few seasons. If the Texans continue to fail at home, they will once again miss out on the playoffs. The picks go both ways in this one, with more systems pinning their failed hopes with Houston than not.
New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks (Actual ~ New York, 41-7)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: New York, 27-13. New York's journey west will be rewarded with a victory over a team suddenly struggling to find its identity after being manhandled by the Raiders.
Scottie V's Pick: New York, 28-17. The Seahawks can't seem to find any consistency.
Vegas Lines Pick: New York, 24-17. New York by 6.5, Over/Under 41.
Accuscore Pick: New York, 27-10. New York 74% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Seattle, 14-13. Seattle won 2 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: New York, 20-17. New York better at 5-2.
Home Team Wins Pick: Seattle, 20-17
Seattle hadn't even finished their first cup of coffee before the Giants were up 35-0. Little Brother lights up the Seahawks woeful secondary and the Giants cruise to first place in the NFC East. Most systems picked this game correctly, with only What If Sports and blindly picking the home team getting suckered in by Seattle's recent strength at home.
Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders (Actual ~ Oakland, 23-20 (OT))
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Oakland, 17-14. The explosive Raiders come back to earth against a tough KC defense, but still gain the edge at home and win on a late Janikowski field goal.
Scottie V's Pick: Kansas City, 23-21. The Chiefs roll into Oaktown and cool off the red-hot Raiders.
Vegas Lines Pick: Oakland, 23-20. Oakland by 2.5, Over/Under 40.5.
Accuscore Pick: Oakland, 20-17. Oakland 53% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Kansas City, 23-21. Kansas City won 3 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Kansas City, 20-17. Kansas City better at 5-2.
Home Team Wins Pick: Oakland, 20-17
The Raiders look to be for real, moving above a .500 record in the month of November for the first time since they went to the Super Bowl back in 2002. Janikowski comes through with not one, but two, big kicks in the end game to give Oakland a surprising three-game win streak. Kansas City falters on the road in a big division battle, but their season is far from over. Vegas Picks hits the final score perfectly, and now has two perfect picks on the season.
Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles (Actual ~ Philadelphia, 26-24)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Indianapolis, 21-20. Manning has his bit players playing above their abilities and the Colt defense found a higher gear last week against Houston. Vick will give them fits, but his scrambling ability won't be enough for the Eagles to win at home.
Scottie V's Pick: Indianapolis, 27-16. The Colts know who they are and Philly still can't settle on a quarterback.
Vegas Lines Pick: Philadelphia, 26-21. Philadelphia by 3, Over/Under 46.5.
Accuscore Pick: Philadelphia, 14-13. Both teams at 50% win confidence, advantage home
What If Sports Pick: Philadelphia, 20-13. Philadelphia won 4 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Indianapolis, 20-17. Indianapolis better at 5-2.
Home Team Wins Pick: Philadelphia, 20-17
The Eagles take everything Manning and the Colts can throw at them and escape unscathed with a nice victory at home. The win keeps them in step just behind the New York Giants in the NFC East and separates them further from the Washington Redskins and the terrible Dallas Cowboys. For their part, the Colts finally succumb to "young player syndrome" as many of Manning's passes are dropped or misplayed. Late in the game, Manning even started missing some shots downfield that he normally wouldn't have missed. Vegas comes close to another perfect pick in this one, with only Creative Misfortune, Scottie V and blindly picking the best record coming up short.
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers (Actual ~ Green Bay, 45-7)
Creative Misfortune's Pick: Green Bay, 28-14. Green Bay is simply too strong on both sides of the ball for a Forked Dallas team to handle.
Scottie V's Pick: Green Bay, 34-14. Surely Wade Phillips won't make it past this week... Right?
Vegas Lines Pick: Green Bay, 30-17. Green Bay by 8, Over/Under 45.5.
Accuscore Pick: Green Bay, 28-9. Green Bay 78% win confidence
What If Sports Pick: Green Bay, 21-16. Green Bay won 3 of 5 simulations.
Best Record Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17. Green Bay better at 5-3.
Home Team Wins Pick: Green Bay, 20-17
Dallas looked like they quit last week. I think this week's performance in Green Bay leaves no doubt in people's minds. The Cowboys are done. Wade is done. Preparing for 2011 starts now. The Packers capitalize on Dallas' misfortune and dispatched them quite easily in front of the home crowd. All systems pick this game correctly. Even Creative Misfortune has bailed on the Cowboys.
Teams on a bye this week -
Denver Broncos - The Broncos fall further out of step with their division rivals as Oakland and San Diego win big games.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Picked up a half game on both the Colts and the Texans.
St. Louis Rams - Idle for a week and suddenly they look like the team to beat in the NFC West. How scary is that?
San Francisco 49ers - See, the 49ers aren't the only team in the NFC West that loses more than they win.
Tennessee Titans - Picked up a half game on the Texans and moved into a tie for first-place with the Indianapolis Colts.
Washington Redskins - Fell further back from both the Giants and the Eagles, but they still have a nice cushion on the Cowboys.
Come back tomorrow to view the final prediction standings following the Monday Night Game and the complete week 9 "If Real Football Used Fantasy Scoring..." results.
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