2016-2017 NFL Picks: Wildcard Weekend

Regular Season: 164-88-2

Saturday, 1/7
Oakland @ Houston: Houston
Detroit @ Seattle: Detroit

Because of the four division format, there are bound to be occasions where a Wildcard team has a much better record than a division winner, and this is the case with Oakland (12-4, Wildcard) and Houston (9-7, AFC South Winner). There are also times when the Wildcard team is a heavy underdog to the Host. But rare is the occasion when both of these scenarios are true. The Oakland Raiders are now without their quarterback, Derek Carr, who broke his leg in Week 16. In a must-win game in Week 17, the Raiders had their second string QB knocked out of the game, and they looked helpless against a Denver team that fell short of expectations this season. Houston is, itself, a weak team, but things don't look good for the Raiders. Meanwhile, I think this is the season that Stafford proves he's a better QB than he gets credit for, and finally pulls out a big road win, the first for Detroit since 1957.

Sunday, 1/8
Miami @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
New York (NFC) @ Green Bay: Green Bay

Pittsburgh picked the right time to go on a roll, having won 7 in a row to close out the season. After a great 4-1 start, there was a rough 4 game patch where they lost every game they played, which started with a loss in Miami. But they are in Pittsburgh now, where the Steelers have beaten everyone but the two top seeds, New England and Dallas. Green Bay finished strong as well, although the Giants are one of those tricky teams that seem to excel just when you count them out. But they aren't a dominant team, and Green Bay at home with icy temperatures... The Pack is back.

2016-2017 NFL Picks Wrap Up

Week 17 Record: 11-5
Overall Record: 164-88-2

Final Yahoo Rank: 96th Percentile (Top 4%)

Still not as good as my 99th Percentile finish in 2012, but pretty darned good, if you ask me.

Below you will find the results of my picks for each NFL Team.

Cleveland: 16-0

Perfection. But once they get to 0-7, it's kind of a sucker bet. I did have a feeling in Week 16, though.

San Francisco: 15-1

Only failed to predict their win in Week 16, but I don't know anyone who thought they'd win.

Jacksonville: 13-3
New York (NFC): 13-3

I knew Jacksonville would be bad, and I knew New York would be good.

New York (AFC): 12-4
New England: 12-4
Kansas City: 12-4
Oakland: 12-4
Chicago: 12-4

I had KC right through Week 10, but then lost my rhythm.

Pittsburgh: 11-5
Indianapolis: 11-5
Miami: 11-5
San Diego: 11-5
Detroit: 11-5
Tampa Bay: 11-5
Carolina: 11-5
New Orleans: 11-5
Los Angeles: 11-5

I am a Steelers fan, and had a hard time picking against them. Every single game, even the ones I knew they probably wouldn't win (New England, Dallas) I always had a reason to suspect that they'd come out on top. I knew they weren't going to go 16-0, yet every week, I was optimistic and picked them to win. This is probably the one team I shouldn't be trusted with because I will always hold out hope they can win.

Cincinnati: 10-5-1

Fucking ties.

Baltimore: 10-6
Houston: 10-6
Buffalo: 10-6
Green Bay: 10-6

We begin to delve into unremarkable territory. I don't consider picking 10 out of 16 results any great shakes.

Seattle: 9-6-1

Again, fucking ties.

Denver: 9-7
Dallas:  9-7

Not good. I kept hoping Denver would be better than what they were.

Washington: 8-7-1
Arizona: 8-7-1

The fucking ties!

Philadelphia: 7-9

I thought Philly would be awful this year, and they were. But not awful enough early enough.

Tennessee: 6-10
Minnesota: 6-10
Atlanta: 6-10

I couldn't guess these teams right to save my life. I guessed wrong on Atlanta eight weeks in a row to open the season. The only time I have ever done worse with a team was in 2001 when I went with the Lions to win for thirteen straight weeks, which was the year the Lions started 0-13. I finally gave up on them and picked them to lose against the Vikings. They won. I finally picked a Lions game correctly that year when I predicted they'd lose to the Steelers, which they did.

2016-2017 NFL Picks: Week 17

Week 16 Record: 11-5
Overall Record: 153-83-2

Sunday, 1/1
Baltimore @ Cincinnati: Baltimore
Houston @ Tennessee: Houston
Jacksonville @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis
New England @ Miami: New England
Minnesota @ Chicago: Minnesota
Buffalo @ New York (AFC): Buffalo
Dallas @ Philadelphia: Dallas
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
Carolina @ Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay

New Orleans @ Atlanta: Atlanta

Oakland @ Denver: Denver

Arizona @ Los Angeles: Arizona

Kansas City @ San Diego: Kansas City

Seattle @ San Francisco: Seattle

New York (NFC) @ Washington: New York

Green Bay @ Detroit: Detroit

2016-2017 NFL Picks: Week 16

Week 15 Record: 13-3
Overall Record: 142-78-2

Thursday, 12/22
New York (NFC) @ Philadelphia: New York

Saturday, 12/24
Miami @ Buffalo: Miami
Washington @ Chicago: Washington
San Diego @ Cleveland: Cleveland
Minnesota @ Green Bay: Green Bay
New York (AFC) @ New England: New England
Atlanta @ Carolina: Atlanta
Tennessee @ Jacksonville: Tennessee
Indianapolis @ Oakland: Oakland
San Francisco @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans: Tampa Bay
Arizona @ Seattle: Seattle
Cincinnati @ Houston: Houston

Sunday, 12/25
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
Denver @ Kansas City: Kansas City

Monday, 12/26
Detroit @ Dallas: Dallas

2016-2017 NFL Picks: Week 15

Week 14 Record: 13-3
Overall Record: 129-75-2

Thursday, 12/15
Los Angeles @ Seattle: Seattle

Sunday, 12/18
Miami @ New York (AFC): Miami
Cleveland @ Buffalo: Buffalo
Green Bay @ Chicago: Green Bay
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati: Pittsburgh
Tennessee @ Kansas City: Kansas City
Indianapolis @ Minnesota: Minnesota
Detroit @ New York (NFC): New York
Philadelphia @ Baltimore: Baltimore
Jacksonville @ Houston: Houston
San Francisco @ Atlanta: Atlanta
New Orleans @ Arizona: Arizona
New England @ Denver: New England
Oakland @ San Diego: Oakland
Tampa Bay @ Dallas: Dallas

Monday 12/19
Carolina @ Washington: Carolina

2016-2017 NFL Picks: Week 14

Week 13 Record: 12-3
Overall Record: 116-74-2

Thursday, 12/8
Oakland @ Kansas City: Kansas City

Sunday, 12/11
Pittsburgh @ Buffalo: Pittsburgh
Cincinnati @ Cleveland: Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit: Detroit
Denver @ Tennessee: Denver
Houston @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis
Arizona @ Miami: Miami
Washington @ Philadelphia: Washington
San Diego @ Carolina: Carolina
Minnesota @ Jacksonville: Minnesota
New York (AFC) @ San Francisco: New York
Seattle @ Green Bay: Green Bay
Atlanta @ Los Angeles: Atlanta
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay
Dallas @ New York (NFC): Dallas

Monday, 12/12
Baltimore @ New England: New England

2016-2017 NFL Picks: Week 13

Week 12 Record: 12-4
Overall Record: 104-71-2

Thursday, 12/1
Dallas @ Minnesota: Dallas

Sunday, 12/4
Kansas City @ Atlanta: Atlanta
San Francisco @ Chicago: Chicago
Philadelphia @ Cincinnati: Philadelphia
Houston @ Green Bay: Green Bay
Los Angeles @ New England: New England
Detroit @ New Orleans: Detroit
Denver @ Jacksonville: Denver
Miami @ Baltimore: Miami
Buffalo @ Oakland: Oakland
Washington @ Arizona: Arizona
New York (NFC) @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay @ San Diego: Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle: Seattle

Monday, 12/5
Indianapolis @ New York (AFC): Indianapolis