Jeez, this season just flew by! Seems like only yesterday when we kicked this off! Three weeks to go and there are some huge games this week with big time playoff implications. The AFC East leaders, the Dolphins and Patriots, have key games against two red hot AFC playoff contenders. The Dolphins will play host to the West-leading Raiders, while the Pats go on the road to take on the South-leading Titans, who've won 7 of 8 and may be getting Jevon Kearse back. That game is Monday night. The Browns, who suddenly find themselves only one half game out of first in the AFC North, play host to the Colts. Both teams want and need this one. The Steelers will try and bounce back from the humiliating loss to the expansion Texans last week when they host the Panthers this week. The Panthers have a pretty good D that may be able to keep the Steelers off balance. The Chargers have a difficult task this week-a December game in Buffalo is no "gimme". The Bills playoff hopes took a major hit last week, but they're a tough out at home this time of year. In what could be considered an elimination game, the high powered Chiefs take their scoring machine on the road to battle the Broncos. Denver, once in control of their own destiny, now must look for alot of help to get in. And while the Chiefs playoff hopes are slim as well, I for one would love to see this team in the post season. Their offense, defense and special teams are all clicking. And if they run the table the rest of the way, they've got a shot. But they finish up with the Chargers and Raiders, so it'll be tough.

Things aren't quite as interesting in the NFC this week as the six playoff teams are pretty much set. Okay, I guess the Giants aren't mathematically eliminated yet, but alot has to go wrong for the Falcons and/or Saints. The NFC South is right there with the AFC West as the best division in football. Interestingly, the Bucs have swept the Falcons, the Falcons swept the Saints and the Saints swept the Falcons. But the Bucs are in first because, unlike the Saints and Falcons, they don't have any "bad" losses. The Saints would be in first if not for losses to the Lions and Browns, while the Falcons must be kicking themselves for falling to the Bears.

The NFC contenders are playing more for home field advantages, byes and seedings. The Eagles look to improve to 10-0 in the conference and 4-0 sans McNabb as they host the Redskins. Spurrier has yet to win a divisional game. The Eagles are tied with the Bays, Tampa and Green atop the NFC at 10-3. The Bucs go north to play the Lions, while the Packers go west to play the 49ers, who are only 1 game behind the three conference leaders. Both the Pack and the Niners have clinched their divisions (the Pack seemingly in Week 3!!!), but need this game to to try for a top 2 seed. This is our Game of the Week.


If you've not played before, you are still invited to join in this week. For those who have played, the rules are the same. And for those who would like to play its really quite easy. Each week, I will post the complete schedule of NFL games for the coming week. You simply predict the winner of each game. We don't need no stinkin' point spreads here! Here's how you do it:


1. Pick the winners in EACH game.

2. Predict how many points the team you pick to win the designated Game of the Week will win by. This week, its the Packers at 49ers, as selected by me. This will be used for tiebreak purposes.

3. All picks are due by kickoff of the opening game of that weekend. Your picks are due by 1pm Eastern time Sunday.

4. Picks MUST be submitted either via the Private Message function or E-mail. My email address is geolovevikes@yahoo.com. I must ask that you do not post your picks here. That way I can ensure picks are submitted before the deadline. Please include your Outsports nickname with your picks! Any questions, email me.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO INCLUDE ALL 16 GAMES AS WELL AS THE POINT SPREAD FOR THE TIEBREAK!!!

Here are the games:

Sunday December 15

1. Jets at Bears
2. Seahawks at Falcons
3. Raiders at Dolphins
4. Buccaneers at Lions
5. Ravens at Texans
6. Chargers at Bills
7. Panthers at Steelers
8. Vikings at Saints
9. Redskins at Eagles
10. Jaguars at Bengals
11. Colts at Browns
12. Cowboys at Giants
13. Chiefs at Broncos
14. Packers at 49ers (TIEBREAK GAME!!!)
15. Cardinals at Rams

Monday December 16

16. Patriots at Titans

Picks from:

triguy262
Meric
Kennysf

More picks from:

DCBucky
Pat125

Sportinlife
Seph

EdChow
GoMonica

Keep 'em coming boys!

Picks from:

GoldenStateDude
Jqueer

Leoman
ESPNBill
UWFan

More picks from:

MarinerDuckBoy
Billsf

MunsonMan
Lakersdabomb

DenverFan
Theo

CowboysHskrFan
Alton

I probably won't get to do a recap this week. I have to work at the bar tonight and there are still alot of picks yet to be submitted. I know how much my weekly recaps enthrall and enchant and I hate to disappoint you all!

George_vikingfan wrote:

Interestingly, the Bucs have swept the Falcons, the Falcons swept the Saints and the Saints swept the Falcons.

George, I think you meant that the Saints swept the Bucs (although I wish it wasn't so!) New Orleans beat Tampa Bay on Sept 8 and Dec 1.

I share your hopes for the KC Chiefs! Priest Holmes has been awesome, Trent Green is both talented and cute, and I'm a fan of receiver Marc Boerigter because he was a star player here for the Calgary Stampeders (CFL) up until last year. Also like to see 'small market' teams such as Kansas City and Green Bay succeed (GB is even smaller than Regina, our smallest CFL city...it's always impressed me how Green Bay has been able to support an NFL team all these years, but I digress...) The Chiefs are in a competitive division to be sure, so their playoff chances are, as you said, rather slim. Actually I don't dislike any of the other AFC West teams, whereas in all other divisions there are at least one or two teams I don't care for.

[quote]Originally posted by George_vikingfan:
I probably won't get to do a recap this week. I have to work at the bar tonight and there are still alot of picks yet to be submitted. I know how much my weekly recaps enthrall and enchant and I hate to disappoint you all!

---

Sniff...........

G-Lo, YOU enthrall and enchant us.

[quote]Originally posted by Marc:
George_vikingfan wrote:

Interestingly, the Bucs have swept the Falcons, the Falcons swept the Saints and the Saints swept the Falcons.

George, I think you meant that the Saints swept the Bucs (although I wish it wasn't so!) New Orleans beat Tampa Bay on Sept 8 and Dec 1.

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Indeed Marc that is what I meant. I always throw in an error to see who will will spot it first, kind of like a "Where's Waldo" picture book.


Marc check your email.

Some picks to report:

IUFan
Cyd

JoeinPhilly
PCC

Zeno
Phillyrunner
Marc (Check your email you forgot one pick)

Just a quick recap of this week's picks. 33 players entered so far and here's how the games breakdown:

Jets 32, Bears 1 (EdChow)
Falcons 32, Seahawks 1 (GoldenStateDude)
Buccaneers 32, Lions 1 (Cyd)
Steelers 32, Panthers 1 (Sportinlife)
Saints 31, Vikings 2 (Leoman, BigBucBoy)
Eagles 30, Redskins 3 Marc, PCC, Kennysf)
Rams 30, Cardinals 3 (Kennysf, Sportinlife, Lakersdabomb)
Giants 27, Cowboys 5 (1 player forgot to pick this one)
Jaguars 26, Bengals 7
Ravens 26, Texans 7
Bills 25, Chargers 8
49ers 23, Packers 10
Broncos 20, Chiefs 13
Colts 19, Browns 14
Dolphins 18, Raiders 15
Patriots 18, Titans 15

My picks: Jets, Falcons, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Ravens, Bills, Steelers, Saints, Eagles, Jags, Colts, Giants, Chiefs, 49ers by 4, Rams, Pats.

Enjoy the games boys and good luck with your picks!

The Giants are still alive! They're at 8-6 while Atlanta is 8-5-1 after their loss to Seattle. Who'da thunk it? But they're not catching the Eagles, who win the NFC East for the second year in a row. WOO-HOO!

originally posted by Joe in Philly:

[quote] Who'da thunk it? But they're not catching the Eagles, who win the NFC East for the second year in a row. WOO-HOO!

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Hey Joe you stole my thunder literally.

George I love the re-caps! Even though I never am atop the leader board, I like to see where I stand against my friends here at Outsports! BTW Do you have tuacua at your bar? Nice and smooth, but some good stuff!

WOW.. . . .Loving my football life right now. My Buc's are playing the strongest football in their history AND looks like my football picks this past weekend were strong. . . looking like a 14-2 record if the Titans hold onto their 21-7 lead. Call it braggin or whatever. . . I'm just f___'in way psyched. . the Ray Jay will be rocking next monday night against the Steelers!!!!! GO BUCS!!

[quote]Originally posted by BigBucBoy:
AND looks like my football picks this past weekend were strong. . . looking like a 14-2 record if the Titans hold onto their 21-7 lead. Call it braggin or whatever. . .

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Okay, braggin! Anyway, the Tits did indeed hold on and you did indeed finish 14-2. And that was good enough to claim this week's crown. I will post all the results tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, but I'm pulling a double today. Congrats Bucster!!!

Well the rich just get richer as evidenced by the top scorers in this week's game. The Season to Date leaders were all at or near the top of the weekly standings. As mentioned in the prior post, BigBucBoy is this week's BigBuc winner with a 14-2 record. He missed only the shocking Bears victory over the Jets and the Seahawks shocker over the Falcons. Theo just missed out, getting the same two wrong plus missing the Vikes stunner over the Saints. Here are the results:

14-2
BigBucBoy


13-3
Theo

12-4
Zeno

11-5
DCBucky
GoldenStateDude
MunsonMan
Billsf
DenverFan
Phillyrunner

10-6
IndyMike
GoMonica
George_vikingfan
JoeinPhilly
Pat125
triguy262
Jqueer


9-7
Gamecock
Lakersdabomb
Alton
Azairforce
Seph
Kennysf
MarinerDuckBoy
PCC
Cyd@Outsports

8-8
ESPNBill
IUFan
Sportinlife
EdChow
Leoman
UWFan

7-9
Meric
CowboysHskrFan

6-10
Marc

Season to date standings will come tomorrow.

Boy! Did I suck!! (and not in a good way!).

To top it off, I had to personally witness the debacle of my Boys. It will probably only get uglier this week for them, too.

Thanks for the good news George!! Just in case there is any doubt, the "pick the spread" game next week has to the the great match up between the BUCS and Steelers. . . two teams going for their own division titles that night. Doesn't get much better than that. . . . and THEO. . . just when I thought I might get a little lead on you dude. . . .good job!!!

Don't feel bad, CowboysHskrFan, 'cause I sucked even worse, falling from near the top last week to dead last this week. But at least I didn't pick the Cowboys over the Giants