11 Picks For NFL 2010 Week 8, Miami at Cincinnati
Published Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:00:00 AM
For those just dropping in, every week during the NFL season and playoffs, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game. Then at the end of the season we see which method did the best.
This week's game is the Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals. The opening line was Cincinnati -1.5, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
This list was published on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:00:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
Published Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:00:00 AM
For those just dropping in, every week during the NFL season and playoffs, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game. Then at the end of the season we see which method did the best.
This week's game is the Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals. The opening line was Cincinnati -1.5, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
Tecmo Super Bowl simulation. (4-3) The 19-year-old rosters of Tecmo Super Bowl produced a really good quarterback matchup of Dan Marino and Boomer Esiason. So, naturally, neither of them really did anything worthwhile.
Cincinnati's non-Ickey Woods running back did. That's James Brooks and he went off for 127 rushing yards and three touchdowns, leading the Bengals to a pretty easy victory.
Madden 11 simulation. (3-4) Cincinnati has two big name receivers in Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. But in this game, Carson Palmer only had eyes for Andre Caldwell. Caldwell accounted for 167 of Cincinnati's 210 passing years, brought in both touchdowns, and had the key catch to give the Bengals an overtime victory. Both video games agreed on Cincinnati this week -- in both cases thanks to a very unlikely player being the hero.
- Laska, my parents' dog. (4-3) I've been worried about Laska ever since Paul the German Octopus predicted all of those World Cup games this summer and became the go-to animal for sports prognostication. So Laska will be happy to know that Paul died this week of natural causes. (Or so the Germans would want us to believe.)
Now that Laska has shaken that demon, she's free to be herself again. This week she looked at the treat representing the Dolphins, then decided it wasn't what she wanted and ate the treat representing the Bengals.
Accuscore. (5-2) Accuscore is tied for the lead right now. This week its simulations were close, but the Dolphins are the Accuscore pick by the slimmest of margins, 50 percent to 49 percent. One percent was stolen by Ray Finkle.
- ESPN's Sports Guy. (3-4) He doesn't just pick the Dolphins, he says that this close line is one of the "five gambling gifts [of the] year."
- 11 Points Reader Battle. (3-4) Last week all three readers incorrectly picked the Vikings, so we've got a clean slate this week.
@BrazenDerek: "On my podcast "The Brazen Heads" we celebrate the hopelessness of Cleveland sports. I pick our AFC North partners-in-misery CIN."
@jnbernstein: "I have to go with Miami, Cincy is just not good this year plus the Fins will make sure any fumbles recoveries will be clear"
@metsu35: "Miami will bounce back this week after a tough loss at home. After all they are undefeated on the road."
So with two votes, the Dolphins are the reader pick for the week.
Internet psychic. (4-3) This is Psychic Love Guru 7. He's an online chat psychic. He charges $1.99/min and won't answer any direct questions about sports games, so I have to phrase things carefully. This week's question...
Our spiritual guide for the season.
"I'm torn between two women and need help. One lives closer to my home and she's like a Bengal tiger in bed, which I'm sure you know all about. The other lives further away, and she's smart and squeaky like a dolphin. Which one is the one for me?"
I was afraid I had made the tiger option too enticing but after two minutes of stalling he surprised me and went with the Dolphins.- Randier cheerleaders. (4-3) I looked at Miami's cheerleaders and I was confused. Basically they should be more sultry than they are. It's Miami after all. But every picture they seem disconnected -- like they're just going through the motions. Check out their totally nonentity of a swimsuit calendar cover. She's attractive, seems happy enough to be there, yet everything feels so generic and done...
I wasn't sure about the Ben-Gals either until I saw how they dress when they go to events. Checking out this photo it's amazing -- each of the six girls has managed to find a different way to make you think she'll have sex with you.
So, in an upset, the pick is the Bengals. - Turnover margin. (4-3) Miami, in its usual non-spectacular way, has a turnover margin of -3 on the season. Cincinnati has a +3. The pick is the Bengals.
- Higher team salary. (3-4) The Dolphins have a total team salary of $124,695,517. Jake Long is getting the biggest share at $11.33 million. Meanwhile the Bengals are on the lower end of NFL teams with a $101,210,864 team salary -- $12.3 million of that going to Carson Palmer. The pick is the Dolphins, who gotta spend money to make money.
- The opposite of my pick. (5-2) I can't pick Miami. I'm boycotting the city of Miami. And even if I wasn't, my pick would be the Bengals at home. I just don't have anything to believe in with the Dolphins and the Bengals seem like they can put together a few good games. So I believe the Bengals will win and therefore, I will see if I can stay tied for first place by picking the Dolphins.
And if they win, I'll say the famous "Simpsons" quote -- you've got to hand it to the dolphins, they just wanted it more.
This list was published on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:00:00 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
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Read more about 11 Points and Sam here.
For information about reprinting 11 Points content, or for quotes/interviews for your newspaper, magazine, website, TV program, or radio show, contact Sam via e-mail at
