Thursday, September 17, 2020

2020 COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em: Week 2

Week 1 is in the books, and with Week 2 on the horizon, the coalition returns to work!

It was a good first week of action on the whole for most of us. Our group was even joined by some random person Sunday afternoon who's now in first place, but since they're a random person they don't count.

Among the coalition, hero picks were plentiful; nine of the 16 games last week had someone go hero, five of those nine were mine. I only got two of them, part of why Adam took six of our ten disputed games for an early lead. You can view how we've picked in relation to each other here, again taking into account that the random person who joined our group is not counted as part of this.

Hopefully the rust of both picking games as well as column writing gets shaken off this week, as Adam and I disagree on only six games out of 16. Let's get to it!

Thursday Night

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (-5.5)
Lucas: Bengals. I'm gonna take this opportunity to advocate for something I've argued for before: make the NFL season 18 weeks long, but keep the 16 game schedule. You get an extra week's worth of TV revenue for the league as a whole, and give every team two bye weeks. The former is the argument for a league that only sees dollar signs, the latter is a player safety/quality of play thing. Make one of the two byes come before your Thursday night game so you get a lengthy break leading up to that game plus the mini bye after. A team like the Browns, who reminded us they are the Browns this past week, could benefit.
Adam: Bengals. Welcome to the Thunder Dome... haha, ok not really, but here we have a battle of two recent Heisman winners. And to no surprise they both play for crappy teams in Ohio. The Browns are favored here, and will likely win, but I like Burrows' chance for a cover and maybe a back-door win.

Sunday, Early Afternoon

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys (-5.5)
Lucas: Falcons. What direction should I go? The Jerrah-Palpatine comparison? Address the debatable OPI that pretty much killed Dallas' chances? Semi-justified potshot at Dak? All good options... but let's go with Ol' Reliable.

And so it begins 😂

Posted by NFL Memes on Monday, September 14, 2020
Adam: Falcons. OK, it is literally taking every ounce of my body to not make a Cowgirls joke... ok never mind I just let that slip. In all honesty, Dallas may have had a comeback chance taken from them on a soft PI call. But what else in new in the NFL besides glaring inconsistency in PI calls? Regardless, Falcons fly on Sunday.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins (+5.5)
Lucas: Bills. I almost lucked out with some Fitzmagic backdoor coverage, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Josh Allen should just be thankful he's not in my Madden alternate universe, where in 2022 Buffalo's starting quarterback took 23 sacks in a shutout loss to Green Bay, including an NFL-record 13 by my nickel corner. That was fun.
Adam: Bills. Mafia in full force already, it will be an epic batter between the sots of Buffalo and the magic of the beard. Alas, there was no magic last week from anyone, and there will not be any this week either.

New York Giants @ Chicago Bears (-5.5)
Lucas: Giants. I think this is a Giants cover but Bears win type of thing. Mitch is still pretty bad and was more or less bailed out by the Lions Lioning. I'm just waiting until he has to face a real team.
Adam: Giants. I absolutely hate this line. The Bears favored by 5.5? WHAT?! OK, it's at home; yeah, the Bears won last week and G-Men did not... but still, these are two teams I expect to fight for not last in their respective divisions. I just do not see this being a 5.5 game. G-Men cover, and team with the ball last wins.

Denver Broncos @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5)
Lucas: Broncos. Figure I should take the points here until we figure out for sure if Benny Snell is the real deal or not.
Adam: Steelers. Denver fought harder than I expected against the Titans. It's clear Melvin Gordon has found his new home usurping the featured back role from the undrafted Lindsay. My only concern on this line is James Connor's injury and Snell picking up his slack. It's close, but I’ll take Big Ben over the youngin' Lock.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (-6.5)
Lucas: Packers. Back to the alternate 2022, I finally moved the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles (though lost the ram horn helmet decal in the process), the Washington Football Team is still the Redskins (may have to change that this next offseason), and the Packers beat the you-know-what out of the Lions thanks in part to this guy.
Adam: Packers. This one is pretty simple. Rodgers is still great and the Lions lost to The Biscuit, the highest of insults. But seriously, how bad of a team is it that they are willing to pick up dinosaur AP and then he leads the team in rushing?!?! Yeah, that’s bad. Oh, and no big deal but Rodgers dropped 364 yards and four touchdowns with 156 and two to Adams. Lions' DB's gave up three to the Biscuit, so this could be a bloodbath.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans (-10.5)
Lucas: Jaguars. This was one of my successful hero picks last week, and now I can get ten points if I take them again? ALL HAIL GARDNER MINSHEW!
Adam: Titans. Based on the results of both teams' games last week, most people I would expect to take the points and run. But I am banking on a few things: first, Tennessee could not finish. I get it, Gostkowski missed three field goals, but why was he even having to kick? Should have put one of those in. And second, the Jags were up against a green Indy team with Rivers' first game and the loss of Mack. But something is telling me both games were atypical. Henry goes off for and 150 yards and two scores.

Minnesota Vikings @ Indianapolis Colts (-2.5)
Lucas: Colts. Phillip Rivers looked all right in his Indy debut. Considering that Brigadier General Aaron Rodgers razed the city last week, I figure Rivers could probably burn the ashes.
Adam: Vikings. Rather than being redundant, I’ll just say both of these teams had an excuse in week 1. That all said, I very much prefer the firepower ability of anything the Vikes can throw over anything the Colts can. Should be an easy bounce back win for Minnesota.

Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles (+1.5)
Lucas: Rams. Someone wanna tell Sean McVay to wear his mask properly?
Adam: Rams. I’ll take the morning talk show team please. Man, no matter how much I see them, the new logo for the Rams look bad. Regardless, they picked up a win at home opening the new stadium last week. I see this continuing.
Adam note: By the way, when will Wentz get hurt this year? I am taking game 4, 2nd quarter. Reason: hurt feelings.
Lucas note:

Carson Wentz got sacked EIGHT times today

Posted by NFL Memes on Sunday, September 13, 2020

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets (+6.5)
Lucas: 49ers. I'm not going to overreact to a division loss, especially not when the Jets are still a large dumpster fire.
Adam: 49ers. Wow, a result I did not expect in seeing the 49ers fall to Arizona Maybe Jimmy G is not all he is cracked up to be. Well, even if he is not, it won’t show much against this dumpster fire know as the J – E – T – S, Jets, Jets, Jets... boo.
Lucas note: Shouldn't have cut Broc Rutter.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8.5)
Lucas: Panthers. I wish someone would have told me that Tom Brady was taking over the Bakery this year. Some turnovers sound wonderful.
Adam: Buccaneers. First reaction to Tom Brady in Tampa Bay: Wow, this is weird. Then he drove the field for a touchdown. I texted Lucas to proclaim Brady the eternal GOAT and confirmed his participation in the Super Bowl. He then proceeds to get picked twice, including a pick 6.

Sunday, Late Afternoon

Washington Football Team @ Arizona Cardinals (-6.5)
Lucas: Washington. Arizona beat a division rival, but can they follow it up? I think they win, but I think Washington can cover.
Adam: Cardinals. Here are two teams with somewhat surprising wins last week. The big news from last week was the clear connection between Kyler and Deandre Hopkins. I see nothing but the same to continue. Kyler threw for 230 yards and a touchdown with 91 yards and a score rushing in Week 1. Man could you imagine being in a 2 QB fantasy league and having Kyler paired with Lamar as your two starting QBs? Oh wait I do! Boom!
Lucas note: That's cute; I'm an idiot who forgot to take out Kenny Golladay, so I played with only two wideouts... and still won. Good luck this week, buddy.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers (+8.5)
Lucas: Chiefs. I'm hesitant to lay this many points, but I don't think the Chargers can keep up with Mahomes and company.
Adam: Chiefs. KC started the year off in great fashion, rolling by 14 in a redux of the Fog Bowl. *checks notes* Correction it was only the Fog Bowl from Andy Reid’s perspective.
Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans (+6.5)
Lucas: Ravens. This is less an indictment of Houston and more a reminder that yeah, the Ravens are really good. Trading away an elite receiver for pennies on the dollar... more of an indictment.
Adam: Ravens. Lamar Jackson. That is all.

Sunday Night

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks (-4.5)
Lucas: Seahawks. Because shady s*** happens in Seattle on Monday Sunday nights.
Adam: Seahawks. Seattle executing an absolute aerial assault on the Falcons last week. Given that Mrs. Newton is more of a running QB, this will be a test as to how Seattle’s run defense can perform. I’ll take the four touchdown Wilson over the still generally unknown return of Mrs. Newton.

Monday Night

New Orleans Saints @ Las Vegas Raiders (+5.5)
Lucas: Saints. I need a new meme, so after consulting Pro Football Reference, I'm gonna go with "Don't bet against Drew Brees at night."
Adam: Raiders. I flip-flopped on this one. Its in Vegas, Josh Jacobs rocked last week, and Thomas will likely be out for a few weeks. All negatives against the Saints. In a close one, I see the Saints winning, but the Raiders keep pace.

Records Last Week
Lucas: 9-7
Adam: 11-5
Joe: 10-6
Geoffrey: 10-6
Jim: 10-6
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