11 Picks For NFL 2010 Week 7, Minnesota at Green Bay
Published Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM
Now that's how you regress to the mean! After six weeks, nine of the 11 methods used to predict NFL games are 3-3. Two of the methods are tied for first place at 4-2. And that's it. We're all clustered up nice and good.
This week's game is the Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers. The opening line was Green Bay -2.5, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
This list was published on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
Published Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM
Now that's how you regress to the mean! After six weeks, nine of the 11 methods used to predict NFL games are 3-3. Two of the methods are tied for first place at 4-2. And that's it. We're all clustered up nice and good.
This week's game is the Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers. The opening line was Green Bay -2.5, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
Tecmo Super Bowl simulation. (3-3) Both of these teams are pretty shaky in 1991's Tecmo Super Bowl. Favre still hasn't arrived in Green Bay -- but Sterling Sharpe is in full force, and the Magic Man is admirably quick. On the Minnesota side, Herschel Walker was still overrated when this game was made... but isn't enough to make Minnesota an offensive juggernaut.
This game mostly featured turnovers and punts. As you can see from the stats, the top receivers on Minnesota and Green Bay had one and two catches, respectively. If not for a bunch of end arounds to Sterling Sharpe to move the ball, no one would've scored. The Packers take an ugly one, 7-0.
Madden 11 simulation. (3-3) I love when the Madden 2011 simulation just seems so true to life. For instance, in this game, Favre had about a dozen passes tipped, another three or four almost intercepted... but Green Bay was shaky, missed an extra point, couldn't stop Adrian Peterson, and fell apart on their final drive. The Vikings won 10-6, all once Favre stopped forcing the ball in traffic and started handing off to Peterson.
- Laska, my parents' dog. (3-3) My parents are quite disappointed that Laska's lost some of the magic from last season. Like pretty much everyone else, she's just 3-3. In fact, my mom was so distraught that I told her the teams and she called a few hours later to tell me that Laska had picked "Detroit." I asked her to redo the pick. This time Laska picked the Packers. Will that weird mulligan help set her up on a better course?
Accuscore. (4-2) In a very boring round of computer simulations this week, Accuscore sees the Packers winning 53 percent of the time, Minnesota winning 46 percent of the time, and one percent of the games apparently being canceled due to penis-related suspensions.
- ESPN's Sports Guy. (3-3) The Sports Guy likes the Vikings on the road. He also likes Larry Bird.
- 11 Points Reader Battle. (3-3) @AdamLeterman was the sole survivor last week. This marks his fifth week of picking. He's joined by @Luke04Dotz and @MaybeACrook (who lost last week but was thrust in last minute so gets a shot at redemption) to make the picks.
AdamLeterman: "Favre will keep it in his pants this week and the Vikings will hand Green Bay it's third straight loss. Win goes to Minnesota."
Luke04Dotz: "I see the Vikings taking this one on the strength of their passing game. The addition of Moss really helps them in this one."
MaybeACrook: "Vikings D is king this week. Moss will click this week, and Favre will succeed due to his elbow issue being largely a red herring."
So with a clean sweep, the Vikings are the reader pick for the week. Either all three gentlemen are back next week or we'll have a completely new group.
Internet psychic. (3-3) This psychic charges me $1.99/min for his soothsaying. His name is Psychic Love Guru 7. He is in India. He won't pick NFL results, so I disguise the pick in the form of another type of question. (However, we're getting closer and closer to the day when he catches on, as now if you Google his name, the 5th and 6th results on the first page are links to 11 Points.) This week...
Our spiritual guide for the season.
"Got a big trip coming up -- what's going to make me have a better time? Because I'm away, acting all wild like a Viking, pillaging and whatnot? Or having that strong sense of a connection to my life at home by overPacking?"
This question was simpler, albeit odder, than usual, and in just over one minute he sided with overpacking and staying connected to home. So the pick is the Packers.- Randier cheerleaders. (4-2) The Vikings are the first repeat team on here in 2010. Last time, I pointed out their cheerleaders' surprising bikini-and-tan look -- what with it being Minneapolis and all. This time, as I flipped through their photos, all I could see were their impossibly white teeth...
It doesn't really matter if that makes them randy or not, because the Packers don't have cheerleaders anymore. They used to though. They were called several different names during their lifespan... including the Golden Girls. Here's a straight-out-of-Debbie-Does-Dallas picture of them cheering at a game.
Those women look randy, but they're long gone. The Vikings and their tans, bikinis and bright white smiles win by default. (The two sweetest words in the English language.) - Turnover margin. (3-3) The Vikings have a turnover ratio of -5, with 12 giveaways and seven takeaways. Brett Favre is mellowing out in his old age -- with only seven intercepted passes (and three intercepted voicemails) thus far this season. The Packers are also in the red, with a turnover ratio of -2 -- 11 giveaways, nine takeaways. Neither team is setting the world on fire in turnover margin, but the Packers are the better of the bad.
- Higher team salary. (3-3) Minnesota has a team salary of $143,016,371 this year, with the biggest chunk going to "Jackass 3D" football star Jared Allen ($13.16 million). Green Bay has a slightly lower salary at $139,276,998, with the biggest chunk going to Nick Collins ($10.95 million). Slight edge goes to the Vikings.
- The opposite of my pick. (4-2) Green Bay is staggering right now and doesn't look like the Super Bowl contender everyone expected them to be. The Vikings essentially saved their season with a win last week -- but it's still really hard to trust that they're anywhere close to as strong as last year. Still, I feel like the Vikings are set to make a strong move now, and I see them winning this game. Thus, my pick is the Packers.
This list was published on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
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Read more about 11 Points and Sam here.
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