2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 17

The coalition is back for the penultimate week of the 2023 season, and for me, it's too little, too late.

Adam's regression to the mean hit far too late in the season for it to help me any, so despite my taking five of seven games from him, Joe winning by the same margin, and the two of us splitting our four disputed games last week, I'm still well out of contention while Joe would need to dominate this week as well as next if he wants a chance to win the whole shebang.

Group-wise, Adam picked up a game on our leader through 15 weeks in Geoffrey Clark, which moves him into a tie for first place overall with just 32 games to play. The two of them owe much of their success to their relative dominance, at least percentage-wise, in hero picks. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here.

As we prepare to close out 2023... you know what? Adam was in town this week, it's been a long time, we need to go audio version. Confessions of a Sportscaster: The Podcast proudly presents our Week 17 Pigskin Pick 'Em picks after the jump. Happy new year, y'all.

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 16

With three weeks and 48 games left, the coalition continues while I try to come up with sort of lost cause myth or something to explain... whatever the hell happened to me this year.

I shot my shot last week... and I failed miserably, as Adam took eight of our ten disputed games, Joe swept his five with me, and Adam had the narrow edge, winning three of their five disputed games. Any last ditch hopes I had to making a miraculous comeback died on Sunday afternoon.

And so I play out the string. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here. Thanks to (finally!) a mediocre hero week for Adam, Geoffrey has taken a one game group lead in what is a two horse race for the top.

This week, Adam and I disagree on seven games, Joe and I on four, and the two of them on seven games out of 16. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 15

The coalition returns as the byes are complete and we have just 64 games left in the regular season. That's... not a lot of time to make up ground.

I've more or less resigned myself to playing out the string after another mediocre week. Joe and I split our two disputed games, which... cool, though I did slightly improve against Adam, as he took five of eight from me; Adam took six of ten from Joe last week.

You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here. Adam has moved back into a tie for first in the group at large thanks to his... *sigh* continued shenanigans in hero games.

This week, Adam and I disagree on a whopping 10 games, Joe and I on five, and the two of them on five games out of 16. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 14

The coalition is preparing for the stretch run of the 2023 season... well, most of the coalition is, I'm just playing out the string.

Adam took five of eight from me and Joe took two of three; they had a narrow split where Adam took five of nine disputed games. I continue to call it unsustainable, but Adam's column lead largely continues to stem from his ridiculous pace in hero games. I've at least recovered in recent weeks, but it's too little, too late. You can see how we've all picked in relation to each other here. While Adam leads the column, he is three games back of Geoffrey for the group lead.

As we finish out the bye weeks this week, Adam and I disagree on eight games, Joe and I on just two, and the two of them on a whopping 10 games out of 15. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 13

The coalition returns, and my hopes for a bump from Thanksgiving crashed and burned.

Adam took six of nine from me, Joe took seven of nine (insert Star Trek joke here), and Joe won five of eight between the two of them.

This results in a widening of the gap in the standings at the top, as Geoffrey now boasts a four game lead.. and then there's me way the heck at the bottom. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here.

As we get back to more bye weeks, Adam and I disagree on eight games, Joe and I on just three, and the two of them on nine games out of 13. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 12

It's one of the few times a year where some of my work intersects. With Thanksgiving approaching we're on accelerated deadlines, which means you get our Week 12 picks a little early!

The good news is I made a little dent in my deficit; the bad news is it was only a single game, as I took three of five from Adam. Joe, however, took four of seven from me, while he also took four of six from Adam. Adam's down week knocked him from first place in the group, though we all struggled a bit.

You can view how we've picked in relation to each other here. My hero numbers continue to improve as I hit on two of those for the second straight week, though Adam hit once again to continue his unsustainable (I will continue to say this in an effort to jinx him) pace.

I'm hopeful that what's historically been one of my better weeks serves me well again as we get a fine spread of football over the next several days. This week, I disagree with both Adam and Joe on nine games apiece; they disagree on eight out of sixteen.

From all of us at Confessions of a Sportscaster, Happy Thanksgiving! Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 11

Well, the good news is my strategy kinda worked. The bad news is it didn't really help.

We move onto another week of picking NFL games against the spread, and nothing significant was gained. Adam and I split our six disputed games, but I took three of five from Joe; Adam took two of three from him.

You can view how we've picked in relation to each other here. If nothing else, I managed to double my hero win output for the season.

As we move into Week 11, Adam and I disagree on five games, Joe and I on seven, and Joe and Adam on six games out of 14. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 10

We are officially set to begin the second half of the 2023 NFL season... and the pecking order of the coalition seems to be in place.

Unfortunately, I'm at the bottom of the pecking order. Last week Adam swept our three disputed games because of course he did, Joe took four of five from me, and they split their four disputed games. As a result I have 18 games I somehow need to make up over the remaining nine weeks of the schedule.

That won't be easy if you look at how we've picked in relation to each other, given that Adam continues his ridiculous run on hero games while I've had a combination of bad luck and some flat out bad picks.

I'm contemplating a halftime adjustment this week, as Adam and I disagree on six games, Joe and I on five, and the two of them on three games out of 14. Let's get the second half underway!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 9

As we near the halfway point... I have some work to do in the coalition.

This past week was an "improvement," if you can call it such. I overcame a horrid early slate to at least salvage a mediocre week, but it didn't stop Adam or Joe from taking five of seven disputed games with me, while they split their eight.

You can view how we've picked in comparison to each other here. Hero picks continue to be the story, as Adam split his two this past week to bring his success rate down to 17-6 on the campaign. Joe and I each picked up a hero win this week as well, in what I'm hoping means some regression to the mean in that department.

I'm contemplating pulling an Adam from the 2010's and going opposite week, but apparently there's no need as he and I only disagree on three games, Joe and I on five,  and Joe and Adam on four games out of 14. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 8

The coalition is back for another week and... I have no words.

We had probably the most lopsided week in column history, and I was worried I had the worst week ever in the column. Thankfully I avoided that guillotine... but I'm not sure Joe did. While I grabbed two of three disputed games from him, Adam swept their seven disputed games and he took seven of eight from me.

Adam ultimately rode a 5-0 week on his hero picks to what is now a two game group lead. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here, and now please excuse me while I go into a corner and scream into the void about how his success rate there is entirely unsustainable. I did at least finally hit on one, which is something.

So as we try to pick up the pieces from an awful week, Adam and I disagree on seven games, Joe and I on seven, and Joe and Adam on eight. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 7

The coalition is back for another week of picking NFL games... and any momentum I may have had after Week 5 is gone.

Adam took five of seven disputed games from me last week to push his lead to six games ahead of me. Joe was able to get picks made last week, but did not make publishing time to pass them along; he did however leapfrog me to put me back in the basement of the group. Geoffrey maintains a two game lead among the group.

You can view how we've picked in relation to each other here. Again, hero picks continue to be the story. Adam has made some smart plays and also gotten incredibly lucky, but that combination has led to an 11-5 mark in those games; everyone else has a combined seven successful hero picks. I'm 0-7 in such games to start the year, which just... isn't sustainable. I'm hitting the copium hard, don't mind me.

This week, Adam and I disagree on a whopping eight games, Joe and I on just three, and the two of them on seven games out of 13. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 6

The coalition returns to action for Week 6 of picking NFL games, and I'm feeling better about things.

I snapped my string of consecutive 7-9 weeks with a solid performance that included taking four of six from Adam and five of seven from Joe; Adam won three of five disputed games with Joe. The good news is based off of that performance I'm out of the basement, but only by the slimmest of margins.

Geoffrey continues to hold first place and pushed his lead up to three games. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here; Adam and Geoffrey's dominance in hero games is a big part of their success. I'm also glad to see that, after a down year last year, our record in consensus games is back up to where it normally is.

This week, Adam and I disagree on seven games out of 15. Joe is on vacation and did not provide his picks by posting time.

Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 5

The coalition returns for Week 5, and I need a spark.

I had my third straight 7-9 week, which isn't... awful, but it has me in last place among the group. For the week, Adam took five of our nine disputed games, but Joe leapfrogged me by taking four of five disputed; Joe took five of eight disputed with Adam.

Joe's resurgence still has him four off the lead, still held by Geoffrey Clark, but his advantage is down to a tenuous single game. You can view how we've all picked in relation to each other here.

As I try to get back into the race, we're getting smaller sample sizes as the bye weeks begin. This week, Adam and I disagree on six games, Joe and I on seven, and Adam and Joe on five out of 14. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 4

The coalition is back for another week of picking NFL games against the spread and... oh boy.

It wasn't a bad week on the whole for folks as we're all hovering in a decent range of .500, but seven games separate first from last place. The race at the top is tight however, with the slimmest of margins through three weeks.

Unfortunately I'm not up there, as Adam took six of eight disputed games from me courtesy of going 4-0 on hero picks; Adam took four of six from Joe, while Joe took three of four from me last week.

You can track how we've all picked in relation to each other here. Hero picks are playing a major role so far, as Adam's aforementioned 4-0 week in that department has him within striking distance of our continued leader in Geoffrey, who remains perfect in a smaller sample size of hero games. Joe and I have yet to hit on our combined four hero picks, and we're in last place.

As we look ahead now to Week 4, Adam and I disagree on a whopping nine games, Joe and I on five, and Joe and Adam on eight games out of 16. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 3

The coalition returns for its third week of the season, and maybe we're starting to figure out how this season is going to go.

Just six games separate the group as a whole, but most of us are bunched up right smack in the middle. Last week Adam took four of seven to move back into a tie through two weeks, I grabbed three of four from Joe, and Adam took four of five from him as Joe now sits in last place.

First place in the group belongs to my Then There Were Two cohost, Geoffrey Clark, on the back of a perfect three-for-three hero week (thank the Titans, Seahawks, and Panthers). You can track how we've all picked in relation to each other here.

As we look ahead to our next slate of 16, Adam and I disagree on eight games, Joe and I on four, and Adam and Joe on six. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 2

16 games down, 256 to go as the coalition returns for its second week of picking 2023 NFL games!

It was good to get back into things, and at least through one week I feel like we're relatively in midseason form as a lot of the trends from last year continued. On the whole, I took a narrow five of nine disputed games from Adam, four of seven from Joe, and the two of them split their six disputes. It results in me holding the slimmest of leads through a single week. I'll take it for now, given the discussions I had with our current last place person in Jim while he was in town this past weekend, insisting that we cannot let Adam win.

As I have in years past, I'm keeping track of how we've all picked in relation to each other. It was a rough start for hero picks (1-3 so far, though Adam split his two) while I dominated in 3-2 split games. And as has been tradition, we're under .500 in consensus games.

As we look ahead to Week 2, Adam and I disagree on seven games, Joe and I on four, and Joe and Adam on five out of 16. Let's get to it!

2023 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 1

And after a long layoff... we return.

The Confessions of a Sportscast Pigskin Pick 'Em contest returns for its 12th season, and with it returns the weekly column with picks against the spread for all 272 regular season games.

And as has been tradition, I can't do this alone. So I'm joined for his tenth season as featured guest by defending champion Adam Quinn. Joe Klecka also returns for another full time appearance with his weekly picks.

Our group is once again joined by old friend of the program Geoffrey Clark, as well as long time group member Jim Haupert. While they will not be featured in the column, their records will appear alongside ours on a weekly basis.

As a refresher, we do this through ESPN's Pigskin Pick 'Em game. We'll make our picks independently of each other, Adam and Joe will send me theirs early in the week, and the column will drop Thursday mornings. Once games are complete I will go through and tabulate numbers with how we've picked in relation to each other. All of that will be available to review in each week's post.

And so as we get ready to start another season, Adam and I disagree on nine games, Joe and I on seven, and Joe and Adam on six games out of 16. Let's get started!

2022 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 18

And so despite a terrifying Monday night on the gridiron... we return for Week 18's NFL picks against the spread.

With only 15 games completed this past week there wasn't as much opportunity to make moves, but moves were in fact made. Adam and I split our two disputed games and we each took four of five disputed from Joe. That provided a reversal of fortunes from Week 16 as Adam has leapfrogged Joe, while I managed to jump back into first place. But my grasp is tenuous at best, as the top four in our group are all separated by a game apiece going into the pivotal Week 18.

You can view how we've picked in relation to each other here, and Adam's tracking of home/road favorite/underdog plus timeslot breakdowns here. We seem to have settled in around 44 percent on consensus picks and as a group we are 48-33 on hero picks. The general numbers seem to favor the bold. (Well, unless you're me, with a group-low 5-7 mark in hero picks).

And so as we go into the final gauntlet (barring a resumption of the Week 17 Monday Night game), Adam and I disagree on six games, Joe and I on four, and Adam and Joe on four games out of 16. Let's get to it!