DBR Survival Football discussion

[Bostondevil]

The first week is the hardest, IMHO. Getting past the first week always produces a huge sigh of relief. It took me three tries before I made it past the first week when I first started doing these kinds of pools.

[DukieInKansas]

I have signed up - I bet everyone can figure out which one is me. (DukieInKansas = DukieInKansas) Let's hope I don't forget any of those stupid Thursday Night games this year. Getting knocked out because you didn't pick is truly embarrassing.

[YmoBeThere]

Hmmm...you aren't going against the Lions for the first game?

[Bostondevil]

I am. It's at New Orleans. Although I do expect them to win at least one this year.

[Dukerati]

I just joined (Team Name: Ivory Tower of Power) and I suspect if New Orleans falls, they are taking at least half of us with them.

[Bostondevil]

Go Saints! I'd hate to lose me plus half of the rest of you first week.

[InSpades]

This is why Survivor Football is great... I get to root for the Lions this weekend! Nothing like half the pool putting their hopes on a team that finished LAST in their division the previous year!

[Bostondevil]

You talking about the Saints or the Lions?

[Bostondevil]

What game do you think is a safer bet? Baltimore at home against Kansas City might be a good pick. What else is more attractive than New Orleans over Detroit? San Diego at Oakland? New England over Buffalo? Minnesota at Cleveland? Let's face it, New Orleans doesn't have to be a great team to beat Detroit. Yes, we could all be wrong, that's the danger of the first week. I do think Detroit will be a better team this, they couldn't be any worse, but I don't think they'll be better than New Orleans, in New Orleans, for the home opener. I just don't.

[InSpades]

You talking about the Saints or the Lions?

Both of them! The Saints finished last in their division last year at 8-8.

I'm taking Baltimore which I think is a safer bet but that is the beauty of Survivor Football. You pick a huge favorite pretty much every week and yet by the end of like week 8 or so everyone is out. The Saints are certainly much much better than the Lions but anything can happen and I will be rooting for just that . The early weeks are definitely the hardest because you have so little to go on.

[Bostondevil]

OK, so 50% of the participants are picking New Orleans and another 40% are going with Baltimore. Still don't see why you're ragging on the folks who went with New Orleans. 8-8 is a whole lot better than 0-16. New Orleans had 8 more wins than Detroit last year, Baltimore had 9 more than KC. New Orleans scored 57 touchdowns last year, Detroit 29, Baltimore 42, and KC 35. As far as I can tell, none of those teams made any huge moves. Plus New Orleans played in the NFC South which was a darn fine division last year. 8-8 won the AFC West.

[Bostondevil]

First week is a crap shoot. Getting past the first week is luck, not skill, so best to go with a home team in a non-division game against a weaker opponent on paper, something both of us are doing. And no, I'm not rooting against you, I'm not scared of the competition, I'm only scared of talking myself out of a good pick.

[InSpades]

I didn't "rag" on anyone. Geez. I just pointed out a simple fact that New Orleans finished last in their division last year.

My real point was that Survivor Football adds a little more excitement to the NFL season because you get to root against the team other people picked (while also rooting for the team you picked).

[Bostondevil]

OK, sorry, I felt ragged on.

[2535Miles]

I am Noonan!

[Dukerati]

I'm not sure if this thread is going to devolve into debating picks every week but it's a nice way to vent the ridiculous overload of information I receive from watching ESPN 3 hours per day The reason I went with the Saints over the Ravens are thus:

1) Baltimore is a ball-control team that pounds the ball and shortens the game. This means their victory margins, in general, are smaller and gives the other team more of a chance.
2) Baltimore is only two years removed from being a horrible team and the most appreciable changes they have made since then are a new rookie QB and a new head coach. Oh and their defense got older.
3) Baltimore's #1 strength is their defense and they lost their defensive coordinator and arguably their best linebacker. I'm assuming they will take a step back or at the very least, have an early adjustment period.
4) The Chiefs QB is much better than the Detroit Lions QB at this point and we all know that QB is the single most important position in the game.

This all being said, the NFL has way too much randomness for anyone to say anything with too much confidence. Still, as a Redskins fan, I wouldn't mind seeing the Ravens lose and take a few of you with them Good luck everyone (especially those picking the Saints).

[Bostondevil]

Thanks Dukerati. Go Saints!

And again, apologies to Spades. It's a message board, sometimes I misinterpret, but I felt like you were dissing everybody who picked the Saints. And the only one who gets to diss picks this year is Grand Poobah and 2008 Survivor Champion Jason Evans.

[JasonEvans]

Thanks Dukerati. Go Saints!

And again, apologies to Spades. It's a message board, sometimes I misinterpret, but I felt like you were dissing everybody who picked the Saints. And the only one who gets to diss picks this year is Grand Poobah and 2008 Survivor Champion Jason Evans.

Thanks for the props... and, as if you could not guess, I picked against the Lions this week so I will not be dissing anyone.

The Saints were a perfect pick because there are not going to be many other times you would want to pick them. They play another really bad teams, the Rams in week 9, but that game as well as games with Buffalo and Washington (who I think could both be pretty bad this year) are all on the road. So, here was a chance to pick Nawlins at home against a team they are waaay better than.

It may not work out, but I see it as a no brainer.

-Jason "looking ahead can play a big role-- there is a week coming up in a bit when you will wish you had been looking ahead" Evans

[Turk]

I'm in as the Little Gobblers. At the risk of mixing my barnyard metaphors, I decided to follow the herd for the first week.

[DukieInKansas]

I confess - I went with Baltimore. I have complete faith that my kansas city chefs can lose. It will be interesting to see how the QBs knee holds up. I imagine he will be playing in the brace this week.