NFL 2005 Season Week 15 Picks

Here's an excerpt from Bill Simmon's latest:

"Q: I can't believe I heard this, but Paul Maguire said on Sunday night that he can think of ONLY one QB you don't want to give the ball back to in a tie game with 2 minutes left -- Brett Favre!!!! Has he heard of Tom Brady? Hasn't Favre thrown about 75 game killing INTs in the past few years? With this in mind, what are the five worst announcer comments this year?
-- Tom B., Duxbury, Mass.

SG: Not only did I hear the same comment, I remember thinking to myself, "Does he mean that you don't want to give Favre the ball in a tie game if you're a Packers fan?" Unbelievable. With the way broadcasters treat Favre these days -- and it's not just the Sunday night guys, it's everyone -- we may have to change the phrase "treating him with kid gloves" to "the Favre Treatment." ....

I was watching the game with my brother and I made the exact same comment that the one QB I didn't want to give the ball too was Favre.  Simmons continues to rag on Favre, you'll have to read that part for yourself.  I think he's a bit too harsh, especially with the Brooks comparison.

if the Bears win tonight, the Vikings can almost say goodbye to the division title (almost, the Bears need to lose either to the Packers and the Vikings which they probably will beat both teams, and the Vikings must win both games).  The wildcard is possible, but Atlanta currently holds the tie breaker and will be in the 6th playoff spot when they finally lose tonight.  Currently Minnesota is in the 7th spot holding the tie breaker with Dallas.  Basically, Minnesota must win one more game than Atlanta and at least as many games as Dallas.  This is all still possible, so unfortunately the Vikings still might make the playoffs, but probably not as division winners.

question of the week:

ok, hypothetical situation gives the Packers the number 1 pick.  Should/will they pick Reggie Bush?  Or should they pick somebody else?

Related question:  In the first round of the NFL draft, would you say it is a general consensus that coaches and GMs draft primarily for need or do they look to draft the best available player at that draft position?  Remember, this question applies only to the first round of the draft.

Despite the fact that it is very relevant to the Packers, I refuse to discuss this topic going into week 16 of the season.  Other than to say that the first pick in the draft will be Bush, regardless of which team has it.

Which won't be the Packers cause they are going to put on a whooping tonight.  I just feel it coming.

Ouch. I just got oblitered in the playoffs in all three of my public leagues.  55 to 111, 37 + GB Def to 98 + Heap (Jonathan Wells, seriously?), and 61 + Gado to 93 (in the frickin consolation bracket!).  Although I said 2 weeks ago that Steve Smith should get consideration for MVP if the Panthers won out, and then they lost right away, he's still getting my vote because all 3 of my opponents had him and his guady 17 points.
In one of my leagues a team is 13-1 and only averaging 83 points per game, and I got 93ed in the consolation bracket.  It's so on next year.

First of all, the way I heard it, Washington is currently in 6th not the falcons.

Secondly, Scott, on the 4th quarter favre thing, what does his 4th quarter greatness of last decade have to do with giving him the ball now?  Everyone knows he was automatic in the last two minutes in his prime, but you can't argue that he's even close now.  I would pitch to Hank Aaron in a big game situation, because he's not as good as he used to be.  Neither is Favre.

ok fine about the favre thing.  But I don't think the 75 game killing int's is accurate either.

the NFC wildcard picture is extremely confusing.  I think there are like 4 or 5 teams that are currently tied for the 6th wildcard spot, and most likely the outcome won't be clear until after all of next weeks games.  Crazy, that applies to the worst place team as well.

Apparently my dyslexia was kicking in earlier.  I meant to say the Packers are going to having a whooping put on them.  Is Favre going for some sort of interception record?

Alright, I'm thinking a 5 way tie is likely.  The Packers, Jets, and Saints don't win again, the 49ers beat the Rams and then lose to the Texans.  Figure out that tie braker.

what video board?

So you are saying that the Packers would be no better even if Walker hadn't gotten hurt?  A top 5 receiver stats-wise a year ago.  Oh, ok.  Considering that 6 of the Packers 11 losses came down to 4 points or less, I need a pretty good argument to convince me of your point, because right now you are saying that it would make no difference.

Hey, when I insert a smily and then hit backspace, it refreshes the page or something and I lose my comment.

Walker ISN'T a good player.  Look at his stats.

4rec.  27yds.  0td

Alright, retyping this entire thing again. 

The Packers were not the only team to have injuries, but losing Walker was one of the most detrimental injuries as far as impact on the team.  That left them with Driver (good), Ferguson (sucks, injury prone), Chatman (sucks, bit of weiner), and Murphy (mid round rookie).  Walker was the only big play, just toss up a prayer and he'll go get it guy, so without him the deep passing game has been non-existent, teams were able to stack up against the run, they got into lots of 3rd and long, so Favre decided to throw 800 interceptions.  I think the Vikings started with Burleson and Marcus.  Nate went down, but they had Taylor, Koren, and Williamson, each of whom are better than any of the Packers fill-ins.  I'm not trying to excuse the Packers, that's just the facts.  Certainly it's the Packers own fault for sticking with Ferguson, not having better receivers to start the season, and for not picking anyone up.  Even now they only have 4 WRs on the team, which is completely inexplicable.  In Madden, I usually have 6.

People who only comment once a week would be in favor of charging by the word.