Does anybody remember last week when I talked about how the current NFL season didn’t make sense (and the week before that [and that {and that <and that>}])? That particular sentiment reached its apex this week.Collectively, week six of the NFL season was Gonzogeek’s worst week of prognosticating. The site averaged merely 5 points apiece with Bruce pulling in the worst score yet for a GGer (a whopping 3 that beat out my 4 points from week two). The second you think you have an understanding on this season, you get smacked in the face with an upset or two…or five. Some interesting facts about the season thus far? Usual laughing stock division, the NFC West, has more teams with winning records than the entirety of the AFC. Twenty-three of the 32 teams in the league are at .500 or LESS! The undefeated teams were cut in half last week after the usually dominant Texans got TROUNCED by a Packers team that had been lackluster through the first five weeks. The other undefeated team, the Falcons, only managed to beat the abysmal Raiders with a last second field goal. What is happening? I know that the league has always prided itself on parity, but this is getting a bit ridiculous. Equality is onet hing, but this is bordering on, dare I say, mediocrity.
After Hell Week, our scores got as wibbly wobbly as the rest of the league’s standings. The Mayor of Parts Unknown still has first place with 53, but his lead has dwindled as Stephe moved ever closer with the week best seven points, putting him only 2.5 points behind at 50.5. I’m still in third with 48 points, but things are getting interesting at the bottom. Chris has begun to surge as Bruce floundered in week six. Bruce’s 44 points now put him in danger of being overtaken by Chris’s 42. Could this be the week that Chris moves into fourth place, or will all holy balls break loose again? At least the insanity is making the league must see TV every week.
SPOTLIGHT GAME:BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. HOUSTON TEXANS
HUNTER: The aforementioned winning records in the AFC belongto these two teams. That’s right! Only TWO teams in the AFC have winning records. The previously undefeated Texans got demoralized on Sunday night against the Packers, but the Ravens got hit harder when they lost their spiritual leader, Ray Lewis, for the season. The Ravens D has given up 200+yards on the ground two weeks in a row for the first time in franchise history, and the loss of Lewis, the team’s leading tackler, won’t help slow down Arian Foster and the sixth ranked rushing offense in the league. PICK: TEXANS
BRUCE: The Texans got exposed on Sunday night. The Ravens lost some big names last week. This one has lost some luster, but still looks like a possible AFC title pre-match. I think the Ravens' losses outweigh the Texans' deficiencies. PICK: TEXANS
STEPHE: TEXANS
CHRIS: I very much want the Texans to win this game, and with the Ravens defense as battered as it is, I think there’s a good chance they will. But Houston’s defense was itself exposed against Green Bay. And their offensive line looked pretty naked as well. And then I look at the “skill players” on offense [linemen have skills most people could not even fathom, much less duplicate] and, for right now anyway, have to give the edge to Flacco/Rice/Boldin/Smith over Schaub/Foster/Johnson/Daniels. PICK: RAVENS
MAYOR: I'm told this week's game features the Texans and the Ravens. This is a tough one for the ol' MES. Anytime you've got two teams from different ends of the country going head to head, you've got bragging rights. I'll go with the team with the greater wrestling legacy. Von Erichs reign supreme! TEXANS by the Von Erich claw
REST OF THE PICKS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS. SAN FRANCISO 49ERS
HUNTER: 49ERS
BRUCE: 49ERS
STEPHE: 49ERS
CHRIS: 49ERS
MAYOR: NINERS by prospecting
TENNESSEE TITANS VS. BUFFALO BILLS
HUNTER: TITANS
BRUCE: Hunter will be pleased to see me pick his Titans in this train wreck matchup. TITANS
STEPHE: BILLS
CHRIS: BILLS
MAYOR: TITANS by conquest
DALLAS COWBOYS VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS
HUNTER: COWBOYS
BRUCE: PANTHERS
STEPHE: COWBOYS
CHRIS: COWBOYS
MAYOR: COWBOYS by opposable thumbs and firearms
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
HUNTER: COLTS
BRUCE: COLTS
STEPHE: COLTS
CHRIS: COLTS
MAYOR: COLTS by a kick in the head
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
HUNTER: This is a rebound game for both teams after disappointing losses last week. This week we find out which team is legit and which is just Cinderella waiting for the clock to hit twelve. It’s midnight for the Cards. VIKINGS
BRUCE: A pair of pretty evenly matched team. I'm picking Minnesota based soley on their greater number of net points. If this strategy works you can expect to see it more in the future. VIKINGS
STEPHE: CARDINALS
CHRIS: VIKINGS
MAYOR: VIKINGS by berzerkery and mead drinking
WASHINGTON REDSKINS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS
HUNTER: GIANTS
BRUCE: GIANTS
STEPHE: GIANTS
CHRIS: GIANTS
MAYOR: GIANTS by fee fi fo (unfortunately the spread is fee fi fo fum)
GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. ST. LOUIS RAMS
HUNTER: PACKERS
BRUCE: PACKERS
STEPHE: PACKERS
CHRIS: PACKERS
MAYOR: RAMS by head buttery
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
HUNTER: SAINTS
BRUCE: SAINTS
STEPHE: SAINTS
CHRIS: SAINTS
MAYOR: BUCS by shivered timbers
NEW YORK JETS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
HUNTER: PATRIOTS
BRUCE: PATRIOTS
STEPHE: JETS
CHRIS: PATRIOTS
MAYOR: JETS by air travel
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS
HUNTER: RAIDERS
BRUCE: RAIDERS
STEPHE: RAIDERS
CHRIS: RAIDERS
MAYOR: RAIDERS by pillage
PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS
HUNTER: STEELERS
BRUCE: STEELERS
STEPHE: BENGALS
CHRIS: BENGALS
MAYOR: BENGALS by devouring
DETROIT LIONS VS. CHICAGO BEARS
HUNTER: BEARS
BRUCE: Two cities named in the Grateful Dead classic"Truckin'." That has nothing to do with the game, just a fun factoid. BEARS
STEPHE: BEARS
CHRIS: How the hell are the Bears 4-1 anyway? Talk about under the radar! LIONS
MAYOR: BEARS by mauling