The way I see it ...
This was an important week because:
1. There is a FULL roster of 16 games played. A smaller number of games are scheduled once the Bye weeks begin to kick in.
2. We suspect but we are not REALLY sure how good or bad teams are. No matter what they did in pre-season, the truth shows up only during the regular season.
3. This is a tough crowd of Hognosticators (for the most part anyway
). So, it is not a good idea to fall too far behind at the beginning of a season. Those who have a bad start may only recover until mid-season (if ever). I know all about that and speak of personal experience.
So, what did we learn overall about the NFL?
1. Some teams just destroyed themselves. They were not ready to start. Some may recover, others may not.
2. NY Giants and Washington Redskins did not play awful opponents. Their opponents simply made fewer mistakes. IF their games were to be played AGAIN next week, I would pick them to win AGAIN.
3. Teams like Pittsburgh are in an unusually scary situation. It does not seem possible to recover with current personnel. Tampa gave me a headache but they do not have a true QB and we have a LONG memory of what that is like.
4. Jets and Jags will fight for the first pick in next year's Draft. Tennessee, Oakland and Cleveland are getting better but Browns were way overrated (and some of you bought the hype
).
5. St Louis will fight hard but still lose close games against 49ers and Seahawks.
6. Yes, no matter how big an egg RGIII and Alfred Morris plus company laid out yesterday, they will still win the NFC East.
7. No, we will not win against the Packers next week but I am no Hognostitraitor. So, we will win
So, what did we learn about the current roster of Hognosticators with NO Hognostitraitors?
1. ANYBODY who got at or above 10 picks correct ... obtained a decent result.
2. ANYBODY who got 9 or less had a bad week. If you are REDEEMED, you did not get anything out of the ordinary ... the bottom of the table.
3. Anybody who got 13 picks was very good AND lucky.
No, nothing wrong with good luck and wacky outcomes.
4. Why the heck not all Hognosticators use their board name also in the CBS Poll????
5. You know that when 1niksder has a TOP WINNING week something AWFUL strange happened with the results and somebody in Vegas lost a lot of money
6. Ahhhhh in case you wondered ... THIS was REDEEMED's year. A short year indeed.
7. I have a usual tough job ahead of me to shake off CT, Herohamo and Darth (good consistent pickers in general and we all have a bad year every once in a while) and probably a tougher job to catch Bigredskindady and whoever is b****!!! Watching my back also from that good 11 wins crowd.
Enjoy and see you next week guys. I am in Europe and I did not watch most games. As a masochist, I only endured a painful game in which rust came off from RGIII and company ever so fricking slowly.
Over and out.
](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
