NFL - week 17

[Ray Barnes]

I'm picking the Patriots over the Bills, the Dolphins over the Jets, and the Ravens over (I think) the Jaguars. Which means the Pats would miss the playoffs with an 11-5 record. Well it has happened before, albeit the last time was about 23 years ago. :) Favre retires, again.

Because of the officiating debacle in Denver in Week 2, I take the Chargers over the Broncos to win the AFC West.

For some reason I see Dallas laying an egg and missing the playoffs.

I'm pulling for Detroit to pull an upset and avoid complete humiliation.

Seattle wins in Arizona, I hope.

This is going to be a fun football day. As far as I am concerned, this is the real start of the playoffs.

Ray

[Ray Barnes]

I see my team the Pats took care of business in Buffalo. And the Lions are down by 10 points late in their game. 0 and 16 - yes they can. :twisted:

[Glenn E.]

Week 17 is always a strange one since a lot of the better teams have already locked up playoff position and give their starters the week off.

I'm with you for the most part. I'm not at all certain about Miami over NYJ, though, and it's mostly because Favre is in the game. With him, you just can't ever rule his team out.

I don't see Detroit pulling off the upset. I think they make history.

I think the Giants play hard the whole game and beat Minnesota. I also thought that the Bears would manage to pull out one last win, emphasis on last, and qualify for the playoffs before going down in flames in the 1st round... but with 1:29 left in the game and Houston leading that doesn't look like it's going to happen.

I really really want to see Seattle beat Arizona, if for no other reason than I'd love to see an 8-8 team in the playoffs. Of course, I'm also the guy who's always rooting for the most outrageous BCS result in College Football just so we can have more controversy about it.

[Ray Barnes]

You were close on the Giants game Glenn but the Viks kicked a field goal on the last play to win. Is that called a buzzer beater?

Hmm, the Packers have a 10 point lead and possession at the 2 minute warning. Stick a fork in the Lions, they're done.

[Ray Barnes]

If my Pats make the playoffs, I'm drinking my 10YO Boal. If they miss the playoffs, I'm drinking this still very mediocre Sandemans Ruby port. If they miss the playoffs and my roof caves in from the snow, I'll settle for hemlock.

[Roy Hersh]

I was just happy my team won today ... the only time this season they won back to back games. Yippee! They did manage to unseat a team that was destined for the playoffs and pay back was a beautiful thing.

[Ray Barnes]

Was that the Raiders Roy?

[Glenn E.]

You were close on the Giants game Glenn but the Viks kicked a field goal on the last play to win. Is that called a buzzer beater?

That term generally refers to basketball - there's a buzzer at the end of the game and any shot taken after the buzzer doesn't count. There's actually a new buzzer (well, "new" meaning since I played in high school) when the shot clock expires, and the term applies then as well.

The Giants decided to rest their starters... I figured that they would play more of the game because of how well it worked for them last year. They got a lot of momentum out of that close, hard fought game with the Patriots in week 17 last year and then ultimately won the Super Bowl.

Nice calls on the Dolphins and Cowboys. Bummer that Seattle rolled over... again...

[Ray Barnes]

Hi Glenn I was aware of the term in basketball but I was curious if it also might apply to football, guess not.

My comment on the Lions was a hope that they would win, not an expectation. On my actual picks, I am 4 for 4, and the Chargers are ahead of the Broncos.

So far, the roof is holding up too.

Ray

[Glenn E.]

I think you're pretty safe with the Chargers... they really should win that game. I don't know why they started the season so poorly, but lately they seem to have regained some of the confidence that they had last year and they've been looking pretty good.

[Ray Barnes]

So far they are doing very well. As to what happened earlier, I am at a loss for words.

As a hard core Patriots fan, but one who is absolutely committed to good sportsmanship, I have to congratulate the Dolphins on such a brilliant transformation from last year to this one - and they deserve all the success they have had, no sour grapes. Last season, everything pretty much went the Patriots' way right up to the Super Bowl, and there were at least two games in that season they should have lost (most significantly in Baltimore). Everything is cyclical, and things have not gone the Pats' way all season right from the first game with Brady's injury. You win some, you lose some. I am proud of how the Pats handled a lot of adversity and finished with a winning record - although I would bet Matt Cassels will be a starter for another team next year. I feel bad for fans of the Lions especially, the Seahawks (myself among them) and the Jets, who pretty much crashed like the Mets after being 8 and 3 after crushing the Titans in their own back yard.

Just a guess, but the final four could well be the Titans, Giants, Steelers, and the Colts - and right now I like the Colts vs Giants for all the marbles.

Ray

[Roy Hersh]

Yes, the Raiders ... I'm a life long fan. Started paying attention in 1965-1966 season. Therefore, I was thrilled to see the Denver Broncos squashed like bugs.

[Glenn E.]

So... drifting the topic a bit... what do you guys think of Green Bay's choice to go with Aaron Rodgers?

I think that they probably made the correct choice for the long term, but their attempts to spin it as a good choice for right now are ludicrous.

Green Bay was 13-3 last year with Favre. They're 6-10 this year with Rodgers. Given the roster changes, they probably should have been better this year than last.

New York was 4-12 last year B.F. They were 9-7 this year and almost made the playoffs. They also made other good roster changes though, so one can't credit Favre with the entire turn-around. But he was a big part of it.

Granted, both teams finished 3rd in their divisions, but the Jets were in a much tougher division than the Packers.

There is absolutely no question in my mind that Favre is the better QB right now. But his career is winding down, and Green Bay needed to establish their QB of the future. Rodgers certainly seems capable of being that QB, and I suspect that they were afraid of losing him if they brought Favre back yet again after he served the team waffles all summer.

But don't try to tell me that you thought he was going to be better immediately. And especially don't try to tell me that you were happy with this season. This season as the start of a long term rebuilding program? Sure. But this season vs what it could have been with Favre at QB? No way.

[Roy Hersh]

As good as Favre was in 2008, the Jets underwent such an enormous collapse in the last 4-5 games of the season, that their coach was fired today. Yes, Favre is still a very talented veteran and should remain a Jet for at least another year, but it will be very interesting to see who they bring in as the head coach of this young team.

As far as Rodgers, I think he will be a solid fit in GB when he has another year or two under his belt.

I am more intrigued to see what happens to the Seattle Seahawks once Holmgren is gone and the team gets healthy again. I see next year as a tough transitional team and they should be significantly better than they played in 2008, which is not saying much. Hopefully, they will draft well, never a great strength of this team though.