NFL 2012 Season Week 17 Picks

Woot!

Regarding Jon's comment, I think it has just been within the last couple years that the NFL has backloaded the season with division games. I don't remember a time when it seemed as extreme as it has been this year for the Packers either. I too get the point, and it's most likely for ratings (the games at the end of the season have the perception of being more important, therefore lets make those games against teams that people want to see play against each other), but in reality, does that really make sense? Is a week 17 game really any more or less important than a week 4 game? They both are worth 1/16th of the total schedule. And should how you play at a certain point in the season really affect your playoff standings? Consider this, a team can play differently at different points of the season. Had the Packers played the Vikings between weeks 2-6 this year, the matchup might have been different since the Packers weren't looking so hot in some of those early games. Was that because they were playing better teams or because they were adjusting to injury, who knows. The point is when you back load games so that the Packers play the Lions and the Vikings both in a very short stretch of games, the Lions and the Vikings (and likewise the Packers in relation to those teams), aren't necessarily getting a good sample of how the Packers have played during the season. If the Packers play the Vikings twice only at the end of the season and are playing lights out (not specifically this year, necessarily), then the Vikings are sort of getting screwed, or at least unlucky. If they played the Packers in the first half and the second half, you are spacing out the likelihood that they are playing a team on a big hot streak.

In other words, the backloaded divisional schedule assumes that a perception of late game importance is in fact reality, when in reality, that is only a perception by those that can't see the forest from the trees.

Wild NFL year, and yes, that's something that we could say every year. But really, what a rookie class. I know I'm not breaking news here, but wow. I mean, the Colts and Redskins and Seahawks are all peaking as they enter the playoffs and they all started rookie QBs the whole year. Barring some sort of tie, one of those guys (Luck, Griffin, Wilson) won't finish higher than 3rd in the Offensive ROY vote. They might finish 4th. Doug Martin is somewhat forgotten because of the quarterbacks, but he gained just under 2,000 yards from scrimmage. One of those four guys will be 4th in the voting. All of them had ROY caliber seasons.
And then there's the whole comeback player award. Can anyone even remember another year's winner for that? And suddenly we have two all time great comeback stories.
edit: Also, Alfred Morris. He had over 1600 yards rushing. Another season that could easily win the ROY award on a given year.

RGIII is the best rookie in the world, but he might not even be the best rookie on his team! Purple drank! Or something like that....

The Packers are currently 10 point favorites for Saturday's game.

Chad Pennington won it twice. If that's not hall of fame worthy, I don't know what is.

It would be hard to argue with either Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson this year. Both came back from devastating injuries to have mvp type seasons. One injury is your run of the mill knee injury that seems to happen to a dozen guys a year. The other was so scary and iffy there was a question if the guy would ever play again, and his team that he single handily rebuilt cast him off in part because of the questions behind the injury; the injury in question being the potential for life altering, either currently or after one bad hit. (peyton's neck issue is similar to what Neck Collins injury was, and Collins career is done, most likely). So it's hard to tell which is the better "comeback" in relation to the injury. Both are beyond belief. Peterson, regardless of comeback story, did something only a handful of other players have ever done in the NFL history (rush for over 2000 yards), and he ended up with the 2nd highest total ever. While Peyton's year was certainly noteworthy and he might win the MVP, I think the edge for "comeback player", since both players came back from similar adversity, should go to the guy who put together a historical year, not just a really good year. So I'd give the edge to AP.

On my quick glance at the MVP history and comeback player history, no player has won the MVP and comeback player award in the same season. It might happen this year.*

*except that Aaron Rodgers will win the MVP again, since he lead the league in passer rating and has amassed 4 consecutive seasons of passer rating abover 100 (first time in NFL history). #sarcasm #butonlyalittle

One more thing, Sarah snuck past me this year for regular season wins. I always play "beat the Staffers", although 6timechamps and lynnelmore had a strong final week to pull into the lead and take the regular season 1 and 2 spots.

I was playing "tie a Staffer". Winner!

I am also beating Jeremy now in lifetime record! Winner Winner.

Are we doing playoff picks this year? At the moment, the answer is no.

Was this intentional?

Ha!