Atlanta Falcons
Win total: 41/2
Division champ: 15-1
SB champ: 200-1
What a pathetic mess. This team ain't doin' shit this year. Sad thing is, this division's anyone's for the taking this year. Anyone except the Falcs, that is. Who knows, maybe Matt Ryan or whatever that BC dude's name is (which I can't be bothered to look up) will be the next Ben Roethlisberger. Except that Big Ben had like, all the other pieces in place.
Let's see, four good teams (@GB, @Phi, @SD, @MN), all on the road, let's just call this four losses and move on. We got seven iffy teams (TBx2, Carx2, NOx2, Den) including all the division rivals, and I'm gonna give 'em one of those. That brings us to our five shitty teams (Det, KC, Chi, @oak, StL) and you know what? Four of those games are at home. I'm gonna go way out on a limb and say they win four of those. Not necessarily the four at home, but four of 'em. That's five for the over. I realise I've been making a lot of chalk picks here, but I'm ready to go out on a limb here and say the Falcs win more than four games. I realise that's the kind of bold prediction people come to the 'Noog to hear, and I'm more than happy to oblige.
Charlotte Panthers
Win total: 71/2
Division champ: 11-4
SB champ: 40-1
Good ol' Panthers. Gettin' "ol'", methinks. How much longer will DelHomme-to-Smith be a deadly combination? They've got a good rookie RB, so who knows? That's about all I have to say about this team.
Three good teams on the slate (@SD, @MN, @GB), all on the road... one win? Why not? Then six decent teams (TBx2, NOx2, Den, @NYG) for, say, three wins? And we fill it out with seven lousy teams (Chi, Atlx2, KC, AZ, @oak, Det), most of 'em at home, they should take five of these. That's nine, comfortably over.
New Orleans Saints
Win total: 81/2
Division champ: 11-10
SB champ: 18-1
America's team! Once again fucked by the weather. Poor bastards.
These guys are Vegas's pick, barely, but something rings default about that pick. I guess the pick is based entirely on Brees being the best QB in the division, hands down, but they really need Bush to step up if they want to, say, win a single playoff game.
They play three good teams (MN, SD, GB), all at home. Can they win two of those? Ummm... no. I'll go with one. How about six decent teams (TBx2, @Was, @Den, Carx2)? Let's give 'em two. I don't like those road games outside the division. They're in September, too, good chance for an early slide. That leaves seven crappy teams (SF, Oak, Atlx2, @KC, @Chi, @Det). I'll give 'em five, but that's still under. Not their year, methinks. Did I just use "methinks" twice in one column?
Tampa Buccaneers
Win total: 8
Division champ: 8-5
SB champ: 40-1
I always have a tendency to overrate these guys, but I think now I know better. They'll be lucky to be a middle-of-the-pack team. I mean, really, where's their strength at this point? Their legendary defense is hardly a force anymore, and their offense hasn't really stepped up to fill the gap.
They play five good teams (GB, Sea, @Dal, MN, SD), which doesn't bode well in this division. Four of 'em are home games, so I'll give 'em two. Plus five OK teams (NOx2, @Den, Carx2) for either two or three wins. I'm going with two. Then only six shit teams (Atlx2, @Chi, @KC, @Det, oak) with four on the road, and I'm gonna say they take three of those. And guess what, boys? Seven is under that total.
What a weird division. My numbers shake out like this:
Car 9- 7
NO 8- 8
TB 7- 9
Atl 5-11
Panthers, huh? OK then. Really, I don't know what I'm gonna say before I run these numbers, and I'm running 'em as I write the column. I'm as surprised as you are. Car it is. Their division odds are 11-4 which is good if you're confident, but... I'm not. Take it at your own risk. And forget the Super Bowl for any of these guys.
1 comment:
Last weekend I was watching the TB v. NO game here and there and it occurred to me that the face of the Tampa Bay franchise is still Warren Sapp despite the 4-5 years it's been since he actually played for them. That's pathetic.
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