RP-29's Blog
  • 12:09 PM ET  09.02
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I [again] used the "Peter King Challenge" to help me pick the winner of every game throughout the entire 2008 NFL Regular Season.  I then documented the results in a spreadsheet and tallied up the totals.

See my pre-training camp picks here:
http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/220909

NFC North
GBP 11-5 *3
MIN 9-7
DET 7-9
CHI 6-10

NFC South
NOS 12-4 *1 (tie: better conf. record)
TAM 6-10
CAR 5-11
ATL 4-12

NFC East
DAL 12-4 *2
PHI 10-6 *6
WAS 11-5 *5
NYG 9-7

NFC West
ARI 9-7 *4
SEA 7-9
SFO 4-12
STL 3-13

AFC North
PIT 11-5 *4
CLE 10-6 *6
CIN 8-8
BAL 2-14

AFC South
IND 12-4 *3
JAX 11-5 *5
HOU 7-9
TEN 5-11

AFC East
NEP 13-3 *2
BUF 9-7
NYJ 6-10
MIA 5-11

AFC West
SDC 14-2 *1
DEN 7-9
OAK 6-10
KCC 5-11

Notable changes between my pre-training camp predictions and my pre-season predictions:
- The Saints took control of the NFC South.  Why?  The acquisition of Jeremy Shockey and the hurricane; adversity can bring focus, team unity and increased passion.

- The Browns replaced the Bengals as the 6th team to get in the AFC playoffs.  Why?  Despite their offensive talent, they still spell team "IIII", they still have a suspect O-line and weak defense.  All things I thought would improve in this do or die year for Marvin Lewis.  My secondary Bengals prediction:  Chad Ocho Cinco plays an abbreviated season due to injury and suspension from his ridiculous antics.

- The Jets' acquisition of Brett Favre changed nothing in the standings.  However, the Dolphins' acquisition of Chad Pennington earned them a 2-win increase.

- Teams that gained 2 or more wins:  Saints, Redskins, Browns, Dolphins
- Teams that gained 2 or more losses:  Buccaneers, Rams, Bengals, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs

- I still think the Vikings miss the playoffs, contrary to the majority of NFL media "experts".  Yes they have a strong O-line, a strong D-line and a strong running game; but their pass offense and pass defense are still among the worst in the league.  They're going to lose a lot of close games.

September 2, 2008  01:26 PM ET

"adversity can bring focus, team unity and increased passion."

Focus? Last time there was a major hurricane they lost all focus because all their home games were in opponent's stadiums and they had to practice on high school fields.

September 2, 2008  03:24 PM ET

That's why I used the word "can".

- I point to the Saints inspired play the year following Katrina.
- I point to last year's Redskins. They were 5-6 before Sean Taylor's death. They went 4-1 in their last five games to make the postseason, including big wins over the Giants and Cowboys.
- I point to the Brewers' 8-game winning streak following the Manny Parra-Prince Fielder dugout scrap [after losing 7 of 9].

September 2, 2008  04:15 PM ET

"- I point to the Saints inspired play the year following Katrina. "

They were 3-13 the year OF, tho9ugh.


"- I point to the Brewers' 8-game winning streak following the Manny Parra-Prince Fielder dugout scrap [after losing 7 of 9]."

Baseball and football are COMPLETELY different. The grind of football wears you down mentally and physically so much more than baseball does.

September 3, 2008  11:15 AM ET

I used the Parra-Fielder scrap as an example to show it can happen in all sports, not just football.

September 3, 2008  02:30 PM ET

The reason the Saints did so much better the year after Katrina then anytime recently before that isn't because they got inspiration off of Katrina (don't get me wrong I am sure they got some and it was a feel good story yadda yadda) but because the got infinitely better at the qb position with Drew Brees and Deuce at Rb and they got a small boost in defense......and they weren't practicing in parking lots and playing every home game away. Yes they rallied after Katrina but it wasn't the big catalyst as you claim it to be, and beside Gustav really didn't do enough to really cause a rally.

September 3, 2008  08:40 PM ET

Panthers 11 and 5
saints 10 and 6
Tampa 8 and 8
Atanta 4 and 12
SORRY BUT CAROLINA WILL TAKE THE NFC SOUTH.WILL HAVE A ROUGH START BUT WILL MAKE IT UP AND START A WIN STEARK IN WEEK 3 AND GO FROM THERE TO THE PLAYOFFS.
CAROLINA WILL HAVE A TOP 10 DEFENCE AND A TOP 5 RUN GAME WITH THE WHOLE OFFENCE WILL BE A TOP 10 ALSO .BUT THATS OK HOPE EVERYONE KEEPS DOGING CAROLINAAND NOT GIVEN THEN A CHANCE.PANTHERS ALWAYS A BETTER UNDERDOG TEAM AND WILL SURPRIZE EVERONE THIS YEAR AND BE THE TEAM THAT EVERONE THOUGHT LAST FEW YEARS A TREAT TO MAKE THE BIGGAME AGAIN .SAINT WILL NOT JELL AS GREAT AS EVERONE THINKSAND AS FOR THE STORM THAT A CRAZY IDEA THAT IT WILL HELP THEM.IT WONT.
GO PANTHERS

 
September 4, 2008  10:19 AM ET

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nflnation/0-1-568/Power-rankings--How-the-voter s-voted.html

For once, I like what ESPN has done. On their website they posted the individual power rankings of their 12 NFL "experts" then averaged them into one master ranking. Doing so averages out personal bias and gives a better reflection of current expectations.

Using these rankings, I attached a balanced team record scale to project this season's outcome.

01 NEP 14-2
02 SDC 13-3
03 DAL 12-4
04 IND 12-4
05 JAC 11-5
06 PIT 11-5
07 NOS 11-5
08 NYG 10-6
09 SEA 10-6
10 GBP 10-6
11 MIN 9-7
12 PHI 9-7
13 CLE 9-7
14 TEN 9-7
15 TAM 8-8
16 NYJ 8-8
17 CAR 8-8
18 BUF 8-8
19 WAS 7-9
20 HOU 7-9
21 ARI 7-9
22 DEN 7-9
23 CIN 6-10
24 BAL 6-10
25 CHI 6-10
26 DET 5-11
27 OAK 5-11
28 STL 5-11
29 SFO 4-12
30 MIA 4-12
31 KCC 3-13
32 ATL 2-14

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