The opening weekend has come and gone. Lingering questions have been answered, but now even more questions have been posed. Was that dominant Cowboy performance a fluke or a sign of things to come? Can RG3continue his Player of the Week performance for a full 16 game season? Will Peyton Manning be great no matter what team he plays for? How will I know if he really loves me (I say a prayer with every heartbeat.)?
After sixteen games, the Gonzogeek staff fared decently.Not one of our ranks was under 50% in their pick em skills. So at the end of week one (if my counting skills are correct [and there's no promise there]Mayor and I are tied atop the leader’s board with 11. Stephe, with his half point for properly prognosticated “tie” prediction for the Vikings – Jaguars game that ended regulation in an overtime causing tie, has 10 ½ points. Our fearless leader Bruce is rocking a score of 10, and Chris is close behind with 9.
SPOTLIGHT GAME:DETROIT LIONS VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
HUNTER: After a hard fought game between former Titans coaches, The Lions prevailed over the Rams in spite of Matt Stafford’s three INT performance (but seriously? He threw the ball nearly FIFTY TIMES) with a last second touchdown. If you take away those three picks, this Lions team trounces the Rams. Can they do the same to a 49ers team that’s still trying to find itself? Yes. They can. The Lions need this win to be taken seriously in the NFC. Pick: LIONS
BRUCE: San Francisco fans have waited a long time for their team to be NFL relevant again. While Alex Smith isn't going to make anyone forget Joe Montana, he is doing a serviceable enough job to keep his job and keep his team on the radar. Hard to argue against the 49ers right now so I won't. Pick: 49ERS
STEPHE: Detroit will play like the spoiled children that they are and lose through penalties. Pick: 49ERS
CHRIS: San Francisco walked into Lambeau and junk-punched the Packers in Game 1, something no-one in the regular season managed to do all last year. The Lions, meanwhile, barely squeaked by the St. Louis Rams at home.Seems like a no-brainer, right? Not so fast. The Lions current passing attack is what the Packers’ was last year; a confident QB with nearly countless weapons. They were 4 for 9 on third-down conversions, and averaged 6.4 yards per offensive play. Their defense had 4 sacks and gave up only 250 yards of offense. As a Detroit homer I’m willfully ignoring Stafford’s 3 picks (more than half of Aaron Rodgers 2011 season total). Pick: LIONS
MAYOR: This is a tough one to pick for the ol' MES (Mascot Evaluation System). On the one hand, you've got the 49ers. Those grizzlied prospectors of the west. On the other hand, you've got Lions ... who can rip your face off. On the OTHER other hand, the 49ers had guns. And opposable thumbs. Bruno Sammartino defeats the Big Cat Ernie Ladd! Pick: 49ERS
REST OF THE PICKS
CHICAGO BEARS VS.GREEN BAY PACKERS
HUNTER: PACKERS
BRUCE: Can we stop having games on Thursday please? Seriously, is the NFL so hungry for extra income? In the meantime, gimme the Pack to rebound from an embarassing loss. PACKERS
STEPHE: PACKERS
CHRIS: BEARS
MAYOR: BEARS by mauling.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS. BUFFALO BILLS
HUNTER: CHIEFS
BRUCE: CHIEFS
STEPHE: CHIEFS
CHRIS: CHIEFS
MAYOR: BILLS by stampedery.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS
HUNTER: SAINTS
BRUCE: SAINTS
STEPHE: SAINTS
CHRIS: SAINTS
MAYOR: PANTHERS by devouring.
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS.CINNCINNATI BENGALS
HUNTER: That Cleveland defense dominated Michael Vick last week. Bengals have a ginger as their QB…..always bet against gingers. BROWNS
BRUCE: Winner? There are no winners here. Well, maybe the beer vendors? If I have to pick a winner in the turd, I may as well color code it. BROWNS.
STEPHE: BENGALS
CHRIS: BENGALS
MAYOR: BENGALS by mauling
MINNESOTA VIKINGS VS.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
HUNTER: VIKINGS
BRUCE: VIKINGS
STEPHE: VIKINGS
CHRIS: VIKINGS
MAYOR: VIKINGS by berzerkery.
HOUSTON TEXANS VS.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
HUNTER: TEXANS
BRUCE: TEXANS
STEPHE: TEXANS
CHRIS: TEXANS
MAYOR: TEXANS by shooting (It's Texas. Everyone has guns)
OAKLAND RAIDERS VS.MIAMI DOLPHINS
HUNTER: DOLPHINS
BRUCE: RAIDERS
STEPHE: DOLPHINS
CHRIS: RAIDERS
MAYOR: RAIDERS by pillage.
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS.NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
HUNTER: PATRIOTS
BRUCE: PATRIOTS
STEPHE: CARDINALS (gotta stay consistent – BOO PATRIOTS!!)
CHRIS: PATRIOTS
MAYOR: PATRIOTS by skirmish line.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS
HUNTER: GIANTS
BRUCE: GIANTS
STEPHE: GIANTS
CHRIS: GIANTS
MAYOR: GIANTS by fee fi fo fum (covering the fee fi fo spread)
BALTIMORE RAVENS VS.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
HUNTER: RAVENS
BRUCE: RAVENS
STEPHE: RAVENS
CHRIS: RAVENS
MAYOR: RAVENS by 3 Nevermores.
DALLAS COWBOYS VS.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
HUNTER: COWBOYS
BRUCE: And out come the Cowboys fans. Manny help us if they go 2-0. For the sake of our collective sanity, give me the Seahawks. SEAHAWKS
STEPHE: COWBOYS
CHRIS: SEAHAWKS
MAYOR: COWBOYS by 3 Yeehaws.
WASHINGTONG REDSKINS VS. ST. LOUIS RAMS
HUNTER: REDSKINS
BRUCE: REDSKINS
STEPHE: REDSKINS
CHRIS: REDSKINS
MAYOR: REDSKINS by ambush.
NEW YORK JETS VS.PITTSBURGH STEELERS
HUNTER: JETS
BRUCE: STEELERS
STEPHE: STEELERS
CHRIS: JETS
MAYOR: STEELERS by smelting.
TENNESSEE TITANS VS.SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
HUNTER: TITANS….OF COURSE!
BRUCE: CHARGERS
STEPHE: CHARGERS
CHRIS: CHARGERS
MAYOR: TITANS by remembrance (see what I did there?)
DENVER BRONCOS VS.ATLANTA FALCONS
HUNTER: Why oh why did I ever bet against Peyton Manning last week? BRONCOS
BRUCE: Until Peyton doesn't get up from the bottom of the pile he's the man. BRONCOS
STEPHE: BRONCOS
CHRIS: Atlanta welcomes P. Manning to town with the beatdown he missed out on in Week 1. FALCONS
MAYOR: FALCONS by bird flu.