11 Picks for NFL 2010 Playoffs Week 2, Ravens at Steelers
Published Friday, January 14, 2011 at 06:00:00 PM
For those just joining us, every week during the NFL season and playoffs, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game.
Last week, the Packers beat the Eagles, which actually shook up the standings a little bit.
This week's game is the Baltimore Ravens, who looked great in last week's Wild Card round, at the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had a bye. The opening line was Pittsburgh -3, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
[Edited to add: The Steelers ended up winning a tight one and moving on to the conference finals.]
This list was published on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 06:00:00 PM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
Published Friday, January 14, 2011 at 06:00:00 PM
For those just joining us, every week during the NFL season and playoffs, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game.
Last week, the Packers beat the Eagles, which actually shook up the standings a little bit.
This week's game is the Baltimore Ravens, who looked great in last week's Wild Card round, at the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had a bye. The opening line was Pittsburgh -3, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
Tecmo Super Bowl simulation. (8-10) Tecmo has a chance to finish the season above .500, but it needs to win out. Since Tecmo was created before Art Modell screwed over the city of Cleveland, I've swapped in the Browns for the Ravens.
And this game was ugly. Bernie Kosar (aka "QB Browns") had three fumbles lost and two interceptions. Bubby Brister had four interceptions and... ready for this... ONE completion for the entire game. No one particularly wanted to win, but the Browns/Ravens wanted it less... so the Steelers took it, 26-17.
Madden 11 simulation. (6-12) The Madden simulations this season have been, on the whole, very disappointing. For some reason, when the computer plays the computer, it makes both teams incredibly crappy.
The Ravens pounded the ball all game, with runs and short passes. They got their first score after a prolonged drive, then got their second one the same quarter when Pittsburgh fumbled the kickoff. Pittsburgh didn't show any signs of life until the 4th, when Mike Wallace had a long, long touchdown, but it was too little, too late. The Ravens took the game, 14-7.- Laska, my parents' dog. (10-8) I bet this was a hard pick for Laska. As a dog born and raised in Cleveland, she has beef with both franchises. Even though she's a dog and all.
After what must have been an inordinate amount of soul searching, she ate the treat that corresponds to the Steelers.
Accuscore. (13-5) Accuscore has a commanding two-game lead with only three picks left. It could guarantee at least a tie for first place this week with a win. Also, it will have to become self-aware.
For a game with such a small spread, Accuscore's computer simulations were surprisingly one-sided. It sees the Steelers winning 62 percent of the time, the Ravens winning 37 percent of the time, and the game getting called off after Ray Lewis and Ben Roethlisberger team up to go on a crime spree that would make Stabler and Benson's heads explode one percent of the time.- ESPN's Sports Guy. (8-10) He's picking the Steelers to take it at home, 24-16. He also compared the game to Sammi vs. J-Woww. You know, exactly what you'd expect.
- 11 Points Reader Battle. (11-7) Last week, three of the five readers got it right. I've expanded the field again to get everyone on the waiting list in for the season. Their picks...
@BrettHendrick: "The red-hot Ravens finally expose the Steelers weak O-line and their injuries to key players and win in a classic AFC North clash."
@mjstaub: "I think the Steelers's defense pushes them over the top in this one. Pittsburgh wins a close defensive game."
@Janus09: "Of all the games this weekend I think this is the biggest stayaway. I (kinda sorta) like Pittsburgh to win a typical Steelers-Ravens low scoring field goal contest. I think an extra week to rest up Polamalu will allow him to wreak some havoc. The difference will be Mike Wallace getting deep."
@MoAwesome: "For me, this comes down to Ray and Troy. It seems Troy is not 100% for this game, so I guess I'm going with the Ravens."
@sweetmystery9: "the ravens looked good but i cant see pit losing after a bye at home"
So with three votes, the Steelers are the reader pick for the week.
Internet psychic. (8-10) Each week, I chat with this online psychic for $1.99 per minute. And I have to disguise my question, since he wouldn't pick football outcomes. Here's this week's...
Our spiritual guide for the season.
"My wife just left me for another man and I need to get some twisted psychological revenge. Should I start mailing her copies of Edgar Allen Poe poems like 'The Raven' using a mysterious return address in Baltimore, or should I temporarily steal her pitbull?"
His answer was not right -- it should've been "neither" -- but ultimately, he didn't want to advocate stealing, so he went with the Ravens.- Randier cheerleaders. (8-10) This one's pretty cut and dry. The Ravens girls aren't spectacularly randy by any means -- they seem pretty cookie cutter and nondescript. I found this bikini photo of the Ravens cheerleaders and it's not all that risque, though it's a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile the Steelers don't even have official cheerleaders, except maybe for this guy...
By default, the pick is the Ravens. - Turnover margin. (10-8) We're going to go with regular season turnover margin. For the Steelers, they had 18 giveaways and 35 takeaways for an outstanding turnover margin of +17. The Ravens weren't quite as dominant... 20 giveaways, 27 takeaways, for a +7. The pick is the Steelers.
- Higher team salary. (11-7) The Ravens have a total salary this year of $128,133,666, with the biggest chunk going to safety Ed Reed at $8.8 million. The Steelers spend ever so slightly less, at $123,263,015, with Roethlisberger getting $12.25 million. So the pick is the Ravens.
- The opposite of my pick. (11-7) It's a really hard game to pick but, ultimately, I think the Steelers just have too much. I trust them in big games more, I don't think they're too banged up to win, and while they might not get past the Patriots, I think they get past Baltimore. And therefore, I'm going with the Ravens.
[Edited to add: The Steelers ended up winning a tight one and moving on to the conference finals.]
This list was published on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 06:00:00 PM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
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It's all written by Sam Greenspan, a Midwest-born, classically-trained journalist who now tries to make a dollar out of 15 cents in Los Angeles. (It's hard to be legit and still pay the rent.)
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
