NFL 2016 Pick'em League!

[Pat Mustard]

OK, so on to the Playoff Pick'Em League, which is completely separate from the regular season, so if you failed to win a top spot in the regular season, you can still clinch victory in the playoffs!

Here's how it works. You must predict the winners of every playoff game (including the Super Bowl) before the playoffs starts. You will get 1 point for a wild card round win (because you know who will be playing), 3 points for a divisional round win, 5 points for a conference championship win, and 7 points for a Super Bowl win.

Here are the picks I need from you by Friday January 6th:

Wild Card Round:

Raiders (12 - 4) @ Texans (9 - 7)         TEXANS (me going for the LUCKY AWARD)
Lions (9 - 7) @ Seahawks (10 - 5 - 1)   *laughs SEAHAWKS 
Dolphins (10 - 6) @ Steelers (11 - 5)    STEELERS 
Giants (11 - 5) @ Packers (10 - 6)    PACKERS

Divisional Round:

(Seahawks OR Packers OR Giants) @ Falcons (11 - 5)  PACKERS
(Texans OR Raiders OR Dolphins) @ Patriots (14 - 2)  PATRIOTS
(Steelers OR Texans OR Raiders) @ Chiefs (12 - 4)   CHIEFS
(Packers OR Giants OR Lions) @ Cowboys (13 - 3)    COWBOYS

Conference Championships:  (can i pick these later or must be now?)

Cowboys OR Falcons OR Seahawks OR Packers OR Giants OR Lions.   COWBOYS
Patriots OR Chiefs OR Steelers OR Texans OR Raiders OR Dolphins.   PATRIOTS

Super Bowl

Patriots OR Cowboys OR Chiefs OR Falcons OR Steelers OR Seahawks OR Texans OR Packers OR Raiders OR Giants OR Dolphins or Lions


PATRIOTS FOR THE WIN

I think you're wrong on one of your divisional picks at least. Per the NFL site, the Falcons get to play the highest seeded Wildcard winner in the division, which per your wildcard picks would be the *laughs* Seahawks.

[Tiberius]

Yup, I spotted that and fixed it already.

Wisdom of the Crowd picks are:

Wild Card Round: Raiders, Seahawks, Steelers, Packers

Divisional Round: Falcons, Patriots, Chiefs, Cowboys

Conference Championships: Cowboys, Patriots

Super Bowl 51: Patriots

[TheRealJoeFish]

So, wisdom of the crowd picks is chalk. Makes sense.

[Brian37]

I am still holding out hope for the Browns.

[SteelCurtain]

Stairway to Seven baby!!!

[Brian37]

Side issue, certainly pedantic on my part, but our species narcissism bleeds into almost every aspect of life. I find the term "World Champions" absurd especially with the NFL which does not have any teams in other countries. Pro soccer is international so to me would better apply in that context.

Shakespeare had no clue of scientific reality when he wrote "flurry of activity signifying nothing". Astute observation. Scientist like Sagan pretty much said the same thing with Pale Blue Dot.

How does this relate to sports? You win some, you lose some, and there is changing winners every year and repeating the top win is rare, and even dynasties in sports usually die over a decade or two. And just like the dinosaurs and just like the ancient Roman blood sports, even the NFL won't last 5,000 or 10,000 years.

I still love the game, don't get me wrong, but the term "World Champions" has annoyed me for a long time. No I am not delusional, it isn't going to change. "Superbowl" isn't as bad to me, but depending on the game itself for that particular game, I don't see a blowout as "Super". It might be for the fans of the team that win, but for those who watch whom don't have a team in it, usually I'd bet most like a close game. I for once would love to see a Superbowl go to overtime.

So what was this pointless rant all about? Nothing, lets have fun, trash talk, bitch and cheer and have a beer.

[Tiberius]

Are there any other countries that play American Football at a professional level that's even comparable to the NFL? Unless there are I'm fine with the "world champions" label.

Plus I believe the plan is to get some permanent teams in the UK.

[Brian37]

Are there any other countries that play American Football at a professional level that's even comparable to the NFL? Unless there are I'm fine with the "world champions" label.

Plus I believe the plan is to get some permanent teams in the UK.

I wanted to see NFL Europe succeed but I think 9/11 might have had a lot to do with why it crapped out.

But yea, does seem long term they are trying to go global, they have pre season and regular season games now in the U.K. and Mexico and even Japan. I really like the ones when they have them in Japan. Japan is one of my favorite countries. If they ever put a team in say Tokyo my loyalties might switch.

[Angrboda]

So who's going to be league MVP this year?

[SteelCurtain]

So who's going to be league MVP this year?

Probably Matt Ryan. Or Zeke.